Frozen x Little Mermaid: The League of Sorcerers (Frozenverse Book 2)
by redwrites
Summary: What if Elsa goes rogue and is too powerful to be stopped? That's Anna's worst fear, and it's just been realized. Now, she has to rally the Warriors again from around the world to save her sister before she goes too far, and while they're at it, stop the mythical, deadly sect known as the League of Sorcerers.
1. Prologue: The Secret of King Agnarr

Prologue

**AGNARR**

Alone in his room, Prince Agnarr stood in front of his dressing table. The coronation was starting soon in an hour, and he was getting increasingly nervous. He had specifically given orders to be left alone to get himself ready. Ignoring usual royal conventions, he never allowed the servants to help him get ready. No one knew about his strange ability, which had strangely manifested itself after the tragedy in the Enchanted Forest. His father had died there and he had barely made it out alive, leaving him to guard his own secret as he grew up.

He looked at a pile of white gloves in a trunk beside his dressing table. _Spotless. Just like snow._ Most people would look upon snow as a blessing that came every winter, but to him, it was a curse. Having to live with icy powers his entire teenage life was enough to drive him insane. Agnarr never did manage to find out why he suddenly had powers after that fateful day in the Enchanted Forest. Maybe he had been cursed with powers after the battle between the Northuldra and the Arendellians.He didn't know.

All he knew was that he had tried his best to get rid of his powers, secretly seeking out the best medical practitioners and sorcerers in the world to help him be free of the ice, but alas, it was not to be. Agnarr had resigned to the fact that he was meant to live with his powers, and instead worked hard to control them. Even now, he had not mastered the ability to conceal his powers. An entire adolescence to master his abilities, but he had not managed to do so. Maybe he was missing something. A key to controlling the ice. He had not found it yet, but maybe some day.

He had to find it soon, as he was about to be thrown into the limelight. Before he had turned twenty one, the Regency Cabinet had governed Arendelle, but now that he was of age, he was to ascend to the title of King. It was going to be way harder to keep the secret of his powers away from the public eye, especially since he was going to be the centre of attention. Public rulings, Cabinet meetings, appearances in the kingdom…his life was about to be thrown into the spotlight. With everything going on, the stakes were going to be raised so much higher. No one could know his secret. _What would the people think when they realised that their King was a monster?_ It would certainly not do to have his secret exposed. The only solution he could find that worked well so far was the gloves.

"Your Highness?"

Agnarr was jolted out of his thoughts, and spun around with reflexes like that of a cat. "Who is it?"

"It's me, Frederick."

Agnarr sighed in relief. "Come in."

The door opened and Frederick walked in.

"Close the door!" Agnarr hissed, his voice panicky.

"Relax, there's no one's out there. It's just me." Frederick said, closing the door as the Prince had commanded.

"You never know, Frederick. You never know." Agnarr heaved a sigh of relief as the door clicked shut.

Sergeant Frederick was the only person apart from his parents who knew about his secret. After Agnarr's previous guard, Lieutenant Matthias, had been trapped in the Enchanted Forest, Frederick who was already a corporal in the King's Guard, had been tasked with replacing him. The young corporal had witnessed the teenager using his powers by accident about a year ago, and Agnarr had made him swear to keep his secret, and so far Frederick had been a loyal and trustworthy companion. Frederick was three years younger than he was, and had been a close friend of his, after having spent so much time together. Agnarr was grateful for his companionship through the years, though he never spoke it.

"I see you have your gloves ready." Frederick glanced at the open trunk of white gloves that were neatly laid out in rows upon rows.

Agnarr reached out and took a pair from the trunk, and began putting them on. "Tell me the truth. Is it obvious that I'm trying to hide something?"

Frederick remained silent, his expression completely unreadable. Agnarr found it annoying that Frederick could manage to keep a straight face in spite of any circumstance, which made it hard to tell what he was really thinking.

"Frederick."

"No."

Agnarr heaved a sigh of relief. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, Your Highness." Frederick said, his expression still unwavering as he watched Agnarr finish putting on his gloves. "Are you ready?"

"The coronation isn't starting yet." Agnarr felt jumpy just saying the word. He wasn't ready for this.

Frederick shook his head. "Not the coronation. A messenger's waiting downstairs. He said he has an urgent message for the Prince."

"What now?" Agnarr headed for the door, and Frederick calmly opened it for him.

The Prince hurried down the stairs of the palace to the landing where the messenger was waiting. The messenger was accompanied by a pair of soldiers belonging to the elite King's Guard, dressed smartly in sage green uniforms with white stripes that denoted their ranks.

"You want them to leave?" Frederick whispered to Agnarr as he caught up with him on the landing. Agnarr nodded, and Frederick motioned for the pair of guards to leave the room. They acknowledged their Sergeant and bowed to the Prince smartly, before leaving the messenger behind.

Agnarr cleared his throat and looked at the messenger. "You have a message for me?"

The messenger bowed. "Yes, Your Highness. Might I suggest that you hear the message in private?"

"Whatever you have to say, you can say it here and now." Agnarr replied impatiently.

"As you wish, Your Highness. The Archbishop of the Church of Arendelle asks that you appear at the church the moment you receive this message."

"What does he want?" Agnarr probed further.

"He didn't say. This was all he asked me to tell you."

"Isn't the Archbishop supposed to be the one crowning me later? Why is he summoning me to the church now?"

"I'm not sure, Your Highness."

Agnarr grunted in exasperation. "That will be all. The guards will see you out."

"Thank you, Your Highness." The messenger bowed again and left quickly.

Agnarr looked at Frederick. "How long will it take to get there?"

"If we hurry, twenty minutes." Frederick replied swiftly. "Though I strongly discourage you from going there now. The Coronation ceremony is taking place in less than an hour."

Agnarr placed a palm on his forehead. If he went, he would be cutting it too close. However, it did sound urgent. When it came to things like this, his first instinct was to always assume that someone out there had learnt his secret and would threaten him with it if he didn't comply. It was something that could be dangled over him at all times, so he decided to see what the Archbishop had to say. If anyone out there knew his secret, the most likely candidate was the Archbishop. His religious intuition was something that Agnarr was always wary of.

"Get the horse ready. No carriage. Just you and me." Agnarr broke the silence.

Frederick nodded and took huge strides towards the door to prepare for the journey.

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The Church of Arendelle was located somewhere near the centre of the kingdom, which was readily accessible to all the people. It was an open spot, and Agnarr feared that someone would see him and raise questions as to why he was heading into the church when he was supposed to be getting ready for his coronation. However, to his relief, no one was around in the streets, most likely gathered in the town square near the palace to celebrate Coronation Day.

"Wait out here. I'll go see what the Archbishop wants." Agnarr dismounted from the horse hurriedly, not waiting for Frederick to help him. He took off his gloves and tossed them to Frederick.

"Are you sure?" Frederick asked, catching the gloves.

"The Archbishop is a sharp man. He'll be suspicious of the gloves, I know it. Don't worry. I'll be back soon." Agnarr pushed open the heavy door of the church and went in. The door closed behind him, and Agnarr found himself in the dimly lit church. He walked down the rows of pews to the front where a side door was positioned. He assumed that the Archbishop was waiting in his personal chambers.

The Prince pushed open the door of the Archbishop's chamber. An elderly man was standing inside, his back to Agnarr. "You wanted to see me?" he asked cautiously.

The Archbishop turned around slowly to face the Prince. "Yes, Your Highness. Welcome to the Church of Arendelle." He spoke with an affected voice, which sounded unnatural and off-putting,

"The messenger said it was urgent."

"Ah, yes. Unfortunately, this is a matter of great importance." The Archbishop peered over his rounded glasses at the young man standing impatiently before him. "Please sit down, Your Highness."

Agnarr sat down on a wooden chair, looking at the Archbishop nervously. "Aren't you supposed to be getting ready for the coronation too? What's so important that this can't wait?"

The Archbishop cleared his throat, as if preparing to tell a long tale. "Have you ever heard of the Pilgrim?"

"The mythical leader of the League of Sorcerers?" Agnarr frowned. "Isn't that the common fairytale made up by parents to scare children?"

"Ah," the Archbishop dragged on. "So you've heard of it."

"What about it?"

"Contrary to popular belief, it is not a myth." The Archbishop continued slowly. "The League of Sorcerers, the Pilgrim. It is all true."

"Nonsense." Agnarr retorted. "It's just an age old myth. There's no guild of wizards running around terrorizing entire civilizations. Even then, what does this have to do with anything?"

"Like I said, it is very real."

"So you say, but what does it have to do with me?" Agnarr was losing his patience. "I don't know if you realize, but I have a coronation to get to."

"I need your help."

"My help?"

"To stop the Pilgrim and the League of Sorcerers." The Archbishop said definitively. "They are coming to Arendelle."

"What rubbish." Agnarr stood up. "Even if they are real, why come to me? The Ministry of Defence will be much better equipped for handling these sort of things. Look, I get it. You want me to put in a good word for you with the Minister. I'll do it after my coronation, but I have to go now."

"No. I need _you_."

"What are you talking about?"

"I know about your powers."

A chill ran down Agnarr's spine. So finally, his fears had come true. The Archbishop knew.

"Powers?" Agnarr laughed falsely. "Don't be daft."

"Yes, the ice. There's no need to be shy. I know about your abilities, Your Highness." The Archbishop continued. "And you are the only one strong enough to stop the Pilgrim."

Agnarr scoffed. "I thought you believed in a higher authority, not foolish fairytales. If you're done wasting my time, I have a coronation to get to." He turned to go. _What a delusional old man. Wasting his time with legends and fairytales. _

"If you don't help me stop the Pilgrim, I will have no choice but to tell the Cabinet what I know."

Agnarr turned around. "What did you say?"

"If you refuse to help me prevent the downfall of Arendelle, then I will need to take my concerns to the Cabinet." The Archbishop peered curiously at Agnarr. "As a concerned citizen, it is my duty to tell them what I know. I'm sure that they will be very intrigued to learn that their new king is a sorcerer."

"How dare you threaten your king?" Agnarr growled, red with rage.

"You're not king. Not yet."

"You can't do this."

"Yes I can. It is in my best interests to ensure the safety of Arend-"

A blast of ice sent the Archbishop flying across the small room, crashing against the wooden furniture. The elderly man tumbled to the ground, the broken pieces of wood collapsing on top of him. The Archbishop lay motionless from the sudden attack.

Agnarr withdrew his hands, beads of perspiration forming on his brow. _What had he done? _In a moment of rage and impulse, he had attacked the Archbishop. The Archbishop! He was in deep trouble now.

"Your Highness,"

Agnarr spun round to see Frederick entering the chambers. "What-"

"I didn't mean to. It was an accident." Agnarr spluttered in a panic. "He threatened me. What was I going to do?"

Frederick, calm and poised as usual, stood silently for a second before stuffing the gloves into Agnarr's hands. "Put them on. We'll deal with this later. We _have to_ get to the Coronation. _Now_."

Agnarr was ushered out of the chambers, and took one last long look at the fallen Archbishop. Deep down, he knew that he was going to have to pay for this. _Somehow. But now was not the time to worry about it._ He only had fifteen minutes to get to the Coronation.

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Agnarr burst through the doors of the church, tossing aside his outer coat and sprinting down the large aisle towards the Archbishop's chambers. The moment the ceremony had ended and he had been given some privacy, he had rushed out into the night and grabbed his horse, not caring to wait for Frederick. The Coronation Ceremony had taken forever. He had gotten to the ceremony in the nick of time, flustered and sweaty, and had to maintain his cover when the Archbishop who was supposed to crown him didn't shown up.

The bishop had to replace the Archbishop and carry out the traditional rituals and finally Agnarr was officially crowned as the new King of Arendelle. While it was a momentous occasion for the people of Arendelle, he felt a constant sense of dread hanging over him. All he wanted to do was to get to the church to clean up his mess. Had the Archbishop reported the assault to the local authorities? Was the Archbishop dead? A million possibilities swam around in his head as he had been crowned King and the people cheered. He wondered if they would still cheer when they learnt about his crime.

Bringing himself to an abrupt halt, he flung open the door of the Archbishop's chambers to find him…gone. _What?_ Agnarr panicked. _Where was the Archbishop? _The broken furniture had been cleaned out and replaced, as though nothing had ever happened. _What was going on? And more importantly, where was the wretched Archbishop?_ Agnarr placed both hands behind his head, at a complete loss.

"If you're looking for him, he's not here anymore." A low voice came from behind him.

Agnarr turned to see a cloaked woman wearing a hood standing at the doorway. "Who are you? What do you mean?" He almost shouted in frustration and confusion.

"The King of Arendelle. It's an honour to meet you in person." The woman spoke with a rough drawling voice.

Agnarr looked at her. The hood that was pulled over her head was long enough to cover some of her features, and he could not tell what she really looked like in the shadows. "What do you mean he's not here anymore?"

"I assume you are referring to the Archbishop." The woman drawled. "Don't worry, I've taken care of everything."

"Stop speaking in riddles. What do you mean you've taken care of everything? Where is he?" Agnarr shouted.

"Hush." She put a long bony finger to her lip. "You don't want anyone to know what happened here, do you?"

"What have you done with the Archbishop?" Agnarr forced himself to calm down.

"Buried him, of course. You murdered him, didn't you?" she peered at the King curiously.

"You're lying. I didn't." Agnarr took a step back in denial, feeling his head spinning.

"Of course, you have no reason to trust me." The woman appeared to shrug underneath the long dark cloak that she wore. "But can you really risk it?"

"What do you want? Who are you?" Agnarr felt like his world had just crumbled.

"Pardon me, Your Majesty. I forgot to introduce myself." The woman drawled. "You may have heard of me in the old myths of the League of Sorcerers. I would like to confirm that they are very real."

Agnarr couldn't believe his ears. _The League, it was real?_ "You-you're a member of the League of Sorcerers?"

"No, not just a member." Agnarr couldn't see, but it looked like the woman was smiling underneath the hood. "I am the Pilgrim."

"No…no that's not true."

"Why not? Is there anything wrong with the Pilgrim being a woman?"

Agnarr sat down in a chair, reeling from the revelations. This was too much for him. "Why should I believe you?"

"That's a good question, Your Majesty. Of course, you can choose not to, and witness the consequences." The Pilgrim said simply. "You should have listened to the Archbishop. Maybe then you wouldn't be stuck in this predicament."

"What do you want from me?"

"Simple. I would like you to join the League of Sorcerers. We could use a powerful sorcerer like yourself."

Agnarr felt his heart sink. "How did you know?" There was no use trying to hide his secret from her. If she was who she claimed to be, then she would know everything about him. The myths told of the Pilgrim who travelled the world to recruit sorcerers for her League to execute entire civilisations that have been corrupted and gone awry.

The Pilgrim chuckled dangerously. "I make it my business to know. I have no quarrel with Arendelle. But I need you."

"And why would I join you?" Agnarr felt lightheaded.

"I'm sure the people of Arendelle would be happy to know more about their king. Would they be more shocked to find out that King Agnarr has magical powers? Or that their King murdered the Archbishop on Coronation Day?"

Agnarr remained silent in defeat.

"Things don't have to get messy, Agnarr. I'm a reasonable woman. I'm not asking much. All you have to do is join the League of Sorcerers."

Nodding in submission, Agnarr bowed his head in shame. _What have I gotten myself into?_

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Gazing out the misty window, King Agnarr watched as the snow fell hard against the kingdom of Arendelle. He stroked the slightly greying stubble on his upper moustache and took a long drink from his glass. Nineteen years. Nineteen years of living with the guilt of murdering the Archbishop. When the public had learnt of the untimely death of the Archbishop, the kingdom had exploded into hysteria. As the newly crowned King of Arendelle, Agnarr had no choice but to weather the storm under false pretences and address the masses regarding the mystery surrounding the Archbishop's death.

By this time, he had already been introduced to the League of Sorcerers, which actually existed. It wasn't a myth or legend, and Agnarr had realized how wrong he had been. The Pilgrim had been extremely intelligent, by exploiting his position as King to demand resources to fuel the League's existence and missions. He had occasionally been drafted into several missions to work together with other sorcerers to destroy a few corrupted villages, and had no choice but to comply. Living a double life like this was exhausting, and it only got harder when he had married Iduna within the same year. His wife eventually learnt about his secret, but thankfully she accepted him for who he was, understanding his predicament. A year later, he had his first child, Elsa.

Agnarr glanced in the direction of the next room, where his eldest daughter, Princess Elsa, was sleeping. Who would have guessed that fate would play a cruel joke on him, and give his daughter powers as well? To be fair, it was more of his own fault. He assumed that it was a hereditary trait that she had inherited. However, that didn't change the fact that he had been crushed when he learnt that Elsa was special, just like him. All he wanted was for his child to have a normal life, but alas, it was not to be.

Thankfully, his second daughter, Anna, was completely normal and didn't have powers. Nevertheless, it had been a rough eighteen years for his eldest daughter. Agnarr had never figured out how to get his own powers under control, and therefore he was useless in helping Elsa control her own similar abilities. The only thing he could teach her was to wear the gloves like he had. His other daughter, Anna, had to be kept in the dark about her sister's secret due to complications when she was younger, and she never knew why her sister shut her out.

Sighing, Agnarr took another long pull from his glass. What a rough childhood his children had endured. His youngest daughter had to live separated from her sister without knowing why, and his eldest daughter had been plagued with powers like he had been. He shed a single tear, angrily questioning why Elsa had to grow up with special abilities. She had to live in fear like he had, constantly worried that one day she would be exposed as a sorceress and cast out as a monster.

"Your Majesty."

Agnarr put down his glass and turned around to see Frederick standing by the door. "Frederick? What do you want?"

"The Pilgrim. She's sent a message summoning you to the dockside now."

Agnarr put down his glass and exhaled deeply. He had let Frederick in on his predicament almost two decades ago, and his faithful friend had been a great help to him in tough times. If nothing else, he was grateful for Frederick's friendship. He looked at Frederick. His closest friend's career as a soldier had been extremely successful and he had risen quickly to the rank of Captain. His new rank had been a good excuse to keep Frederick close as the commander of the King's Guard.

"Now? At this time? It's late."

"Yes. Unfortunately."

Sighing, Agnarr stepped away from the misty window and grabbed his coat, taking long strides out the door. Frederick turned to follow the king, but was stopped promptly. "Stay here, Frederick. I'll handle this by myself."

"Like you said, it's late."

"Thanks Frederick, but I can take care of myself. Go to bed." Agnarr put on a snow cap and headed out into the harsh winter night.

Within half an hour, he reached the dockside where the Pilgrim had demanded to meet. He squinted as he made out a cloaked woman walking towards him, accompanied by a dark and tall young man who wore a cloak as well.

"Hello, Agnarr. It's been a while." The Pilgrim greeted him with her rough voice.

"What do you want this time?"

"Straight to the point." She smiled. "Alright then. In a week's time, you will be embarking on a mission with a few League members to take down a small village in the East."

"And what have they done this time? Bruised your ego?"

"The usual," the Pilgrim ignored his sarcastic comment. "Let's keep it quick and clean. In and out before anyone spots you."

"You know," Agnarr said. "Two decades is a long time. Haven't I done enough for you?"

"Frankly, no. You being the King of Arendelle makes it hard to have you as a fully fledged member of the League. It's hard to keep things discreet these days."

"You think I don't know that?" Agnarr growled. "I've had enough of being your lap dog. I'm done."

"You're done when I say you're done." The Pilgrim's voice was sharp and ominous. "You know, that old leverage of the Archbishop's murder is getting tired. I have a new one that I've just discovered. And what a juicy one that is."

"What are you talking about?"

"Princess Elsa. She has powers just like her father, doesn't she?"

Agnarr's heart sank. "No…"

"Oh yes. I wonder how hard her life has been, trying to keep her powers a secret like you have? What would happen if people knew about you and your daughter? Would your family be abdicated from the throne?"

"You…you stay away from my family. They've got nothing to do with this."

"On the contrary." The Pilgrim continued harshly. "I have my eye on your daughter. Step out of line again, and things might end badly for her."

Agnarr closed his eyes in defeat, unable to do or say anything. There was nothing he wouldn't do to keep his family safe, even if that meant spending his whole life serving the Pilgrim as a member of the League of Sorcerers.

"Come," The Pilgrim told the tall young man. "Let's go."

"You recruiting them this young now? That's a new low, even for you." Agnarr remarked coldly.

"Yes. Better to start them off young on the right track." The Pilgrim replied. "As a matter of fact, I will be reaching out to your daughter soon enough. I understand that she's eighteen now. She should be ready soon."

"No…" Agnarr formed an ice dagger in his hand, and advanced towards the Pilgrim. "You stay away from my daughter!"

The young man spun round instinctively and knocked the dagger out of Agnarr's hand, quickly manoeuvring to hold the king in a submission position.

"Remember what I said about your family, Agnarr." The Pilgrim warned without looking over her shoulder. "I'll be in touch."

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Agnarr finished writing in his journal and placed it back between the shelves of books in his personal library. He grabbed the bronze amulet from his desk as well as the map to Ahtohallan and stuffed them into his suitcase and headed for the door. There was no time to waste. He met Frederick by the door, who took his suitcase. "Is Iduna downstairs?" he asked.

"She's waiting for you in the main hall."

"Good." Agnarr hurried down the stairs with Frederick in tow. After the Pilgrim had vowed to make Elsa a part of the League of Sorcerers, that had been the last straw for Agnarr. He was no longer going to sit idly by. Not if he could help it. He was going to do everything he could to keep Elsa out of the Pilgrim's reach. Upon arriving back at the castle, he had spent days toiling to read through his entire library of books on magic to find a way to keep Elsa safe from the Pilgrim. And finally, he had found something. The Pilgrim was a type of witch known as a _Ha'naeth_, who wielded a very specific and deadly form of black magic.

However, he had found that a mystical amulet called _Qa'nneth_ existed that in theory could ward off any _Ha'naeth_. He had managed to acquire this amulet, but had no idea how to wield it. Then, in his extensive research, he had learnt about a mystical river across the Dark Sea called Ahtohallan that held the answers to all questions. He knew he had to travel there and seek answers from the spirits that inhabited Ahtohallan to learn how to use the _Qa'nneth_ to protect his daughters from the imminent threat that the Pilgrim posed.

He met his wife in the main hall and bid his children goodbye, charging Frederick with the duty of looking after his daughters. They boarded a ship that would take them across the Southern Sea towards Ahtohallan. Unfortunately, halfway through their journey, a huge storm arose and began tossing the ship about in the winds and turbulent sea. Agnarr cursed as he clung on to a post in the cabin of the ship, gripping the _Qa'nneth_ tightly in his hand. It didn't feel like an ordinary storm. This was way wilder than any natural storm. It had to be caused by supernatural forces. He cautiously made his way across the cabin to his wife.

"Agnarr, I'm scared." Iduna clung to a piece of sturdy furniture as the ship lurched dangerously in the midst of the storm.

"We'll be alright. I promise." Agnarr said in a tone more confident than he actually was.

"This storm," Iduna looked about fearfully. "I have a bad feeling about this."

"Don't worry. We'll make it to Ahtohallan and learn how to keep Anna and Elsa safe from the Pilgrim. She's not going to go anywhere near our children."

Alas, it was not to be. The turbulent waves eventually got the better of the king's ship, and swallowed it beneath the waters. The ship sank rapidly below the surface and was lost forever, together with the king and queen. As Agnarr drew his last breath, the last image that flashed through his mind was that of his daughters having to face the Pilgrim one day without his help, and the thought horrified him, though there was nothing he could do about it as he disappeared beneath the waves together with the _Qa'nneth_.

Writer's Commentary:

Hello again, readers. At the time of this writing, it is exactly one week before the release of Frozen 2. This time, in this novel, we will be exploring the world of magic from the perspectives of Anna and Elsa, along with the warriors. It is going to be bigger and more explosive than "The Major's Quest", that's for sure. And a whole lot more mythology and fantasy elements that I've created for this world.

This prologue was written to set up the events that will occur later in the story. I know that it's a long one, but it is essential to the main plot. You'll see. Meanwhile, I'm going to make good on my promise to put Anna in the spotlight this time round. I spent quite some time planning a new arc for our newest protagonist after the events of "Frozen" and "The Major's Quest".

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Stick around, I have some explosive good content in store for our warriors. See you in the next chapter, which will probably be written after I see "Frozen 2" in IMAX next week!


	2. Chapter 1: The Return of the Warriors

Chapter One

The Return of the Warriors

**ELSA**

"What happened here?" Melody asked as they walked through the empty streets of Arendelle which had been damaged by the earthquakes set off by Major Kane.

"I don't know." Elsa replied worriedly as she led the way, looking around to find someone…anyone, out in the streets, but alas there was no one except for them. The Warriors had just arrived back in Arendelle to celebrate their victory in stopping Major Kane from slaughtering millions. Just a day ago, they had been engaged in the battle of their lives in the North Pole, fighting off the Major's mercenaries, trying to reverse the damage done to the melting ice caps, and confronting the deranged Major in a fight to the finish. It had been an extremely exhausting journey for Elsa and the rest, and they were glad that it was finally over and they could enjoy a night of celebration together in the castle.

However, just as they arrived back, they had noticed something strange. The usually bustling kingdom was eerily quiet and there was not a single soul to be found. Some of the houses had been destroyed in part, others completely razed to the ground, and most of those that still stood had their lights shut off, and the same went for the shops and the restaurants throughout the town. Even the town square which had also been damaged by the earthquakes was empty, where usually children would play and adults would mingle over drinks. Something was definitely wrong.

"Is it always this quiet here?" Tracy asked.

"It wasn't like this the first time we were here." Maui glanced at Melody, who nodded back at him. "Maybe everyone's gone to bed Willy."

"No, it can't be," Elsa turned around to look at the warriors. "Arendellians like to stay out late. I have no idea why the kingdom's so empty tonight. Something is wrong. I know it."

"Maybe it's because of the earthquakes. People are still scared."

"Maybe, but I doubt it's because of that. There's something else."

"Maybe we should ask someone." Melody suggested, pointing at a rare house down the street where the lights were still on inside.

Elsa nodded in agreement, and walked up to the door of the house. She knocked on the door, while the rest of the warriors remained a distance behind.

The door opened, and a middle aged man peeked out anxiously. "Your Majesty!" he whispered and bowed. "Thank goodness you're back! Please, come inside quickly before anyone spots you. All of you." He gestured to the rest of the warriors outside to come in as well.

"What's going on?" Elsa asked as she walked into the small house, the rest of the warriors following suit. "What happened to the kingdom?"

"It's not safe out there, Your Majesty." The man closed the door hurriedly after all of them had squeezed into the living room.

"What do you mean?"

"Someone might spot you out there."

"Who?" Melody asked.

"The mercenaries," The man whispered. "They took over the castle yesterday when the earthquakes hit."

"What?" Elsa couldn't believe her ears. "I'm sorry, I have to go. Excuse me." She opened the door and dashed out of the house.

"Elsa!" Maui called out as the warriors followed her out. "Stop!"

The queen turned around, a worried look on her face. "My sister. She's in the castle. Whoever these people are, they've got her!"

"Woah, chill!" Tracy grabbed Elsa by her shoulders firmly. "You can't just rush in there. You're gonna get yourself killed!"

"She's right. We need a plan." Melody said, remaining level-headed as she usually did. "We need to get close enough to the castle without getting spotted and survey the grounds to evaluate our strategy. We can't just storm the castle and hope to survive."

"Calm down, Elsa. We'll think of something." Maui gave her a reassuring look. "We'll get Anna back. I promise."

Taking a deep breath, Elsa exhaled. "Alright, but we have to hurry. My sister's not a fighter like the rest of us. She won't last long in there by herself."

The warriors quietly and discreetly took the dark alleyways through the kingdom till they arrived at an untouched two storey shophouse that stood beside the long bridge connecting the castle to the city. Fortunately, there were no enemy sentries positioned at the start of the bridge. They heard some noise coming from inside the shophouse, which had all its windows boarded up, and cautiously approached the side door, away from the view of any hidden enemies.

Melody led the group, gesturing to the others to be ready in case the people in the shophouse were the mercenaries the Arendellian spoke of. Slowly twisting the knob of the door, she opened it ever so gently and peeked inside. Empty. She signalled to the rest that the coast was clear, and they made their way into the shophouse. The moment they were all safely in the shophouse, the door slammed behind them.

"Get down on the ground! Show me your hands!" A voice hissed as torches were shone in their faces and muskets were pointed in their directions.

"Halt! It's the queen! Lower your weapons!" another voice overrode the first, and the soldiers obeyed, opening up the circle formation around the warriors and easing up. "Turn on the lights. It's safe."

Elsa squinted as the lights came on, and was surprised to see who was standing before her. "Frederick? What's going on here?"

"Apologies, Your Majesty, and welcome back to Arendelle." Senior Captain Frederick bowed deeply. "We didn't know it was you," he glanced at the rest of the warriors. "Or your friends."

Elsa looked at the Senior Captain. He had been around since she was a young girl, as he had been her father's closest friend and bodyguard. Besides being the Head of the Queen's Guard which was a separate section under his command, he also held the position of Senior Captain, commanding the Second Infantry Company of the Arendellian Brigade. Frederick was a few years younger than her father would have been if he were still alive. The man had sharp brown eyes and a stoic demeanour, and sported a neat military haircut. He was dressed smartly in his sage green uniform with the three silver stripes on his epaulettes that denoted his rank of Captain, and his military boots shone as usual.

"Captain, would you care to explain what's going on?" Elsa asked. "What happened to Arendelle?"

"Of course, Your Majesty." Frederick motioned for his men to find chairs for the queen and her friends. "You know about the earthquakes, of course. After all, you and your friends were the one who saved us all."

"Yes, but what happened after the earthquakes? I heard about the mercenaries. Who are they? And what do they want?" Elsa probed further.

"Chancellor Tobias."

The name of the fiend brought chills down Elsa's spine and her heart sank. "Are you sure it's him?"

Frederick nodded gravely. "After the referendum was concluded, the Regency Cabinet found that the people made a unanimous decision to keep you on the throne. I came to the conclusion that Chancellor Tobias wasn't pleased with the results. As Chancellor, he was the next logical choice to replace you as the new King of Arendelle. My lieutenant who used to be a specialist of reconnaissance in the Second Battalion spotted the Chancellor on the balcony of the castle with his new companions, the mercenaries, confirming my suspicions."

"Is this the Tobias you told us about?" Melody asked, looking at Elsa.

"Yes." Her face was grim. "I always knew that there was something sketchy about him, but I could never put my finger on it. And now he's revealed his true colours." Elsa turned to Frederick anxiously and broke the big question that was on her mind. "Is Anna stuck in the castle?"

"Yes. I'm sorry, Your Majesty. When the earthquakes struck, Chancellor Tobias seized the moment and mounted his attack on the palace, taking everyone by surprise. The Queen's Guard was forced to retreat back into the city, and Princess Anna and the Regency Cabinet were trapped somewhere inside the castle. We don't know if Tobias has them, or if they're still trying to find a way out."

"No…" Elsa ran a hand through her hair in dismay.

"Don't worry, Elsa. We'll get her out." Maui said.

"You don't understand," Frederick replied. "It's too dangerous to cross the bridge. One of the two bridges has already been destroyed, and the other- Look." He held out a pair of binoculars and Maui took it. He pointed at the opposite end of the bridge for Maui to see what he meant. "The two sentries there will spot us coming a mile away and alert the rest of the troops, and then it's all over for us. And we don't have any long range weapons with us that can eliminate the sentries discreetly. We can't ensure our victory without being certain that we won't compromise the safety of the Princess and the Regency Cabinet. We won't risk anyone's safety."

"Maui, hand me the binoculars." Melody took it from him and held it up to her eyes. "The sentries are positioned in front of the closed gates. If we can get behind them, we can catch them by surprise and clear the way for you to cross the bridge, and then open the gates."

"Pardon me miss, but I don't think you understand our predicament. How do you expect to get in behind the sentries without crossing the bridge? And what makes you so certain that there aren't more of the enemy troops patrolling the grounds of the castle after we enter through the gates?" Frederick was bewildered at the teenage girl's grasp of tactics. Logically, there was no way to get across without using the bridge.

"I have a plan. Tracy and I are going to swim across to the sentries."

"What?" Frederick couldn't believe his ears. "You'll be spotted within a minute!"

"They won't spot us." Melody glanced at Tracy who nodded. "Trust us."

"Even if you could clear the bridge and get the gates open, how are you planning on dealing with more of the troops once we get through the gates? Might I remind you," Frederick looked around at his men. "I don't exactly have that many men in the Queen's Guard to engage the enemy forces. We don't even know how many mercenaries Tobias has at his disposal."

Melody looked at Maui and Elsa. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Maui grinned widely. "You got it."

"As long as we can get Anna back, I'm game." Elsa looked at the palace across the bridge. _Who would have imagined that she would come home to such a mess after her long and arduous journey across the world to stop Major Kane? _

"Alright, then it's settled then." Melody looked at the Senior Captain. "Trust us, Sir."

"I don't know. It sounds a little too far fetched." Frederick frowned, putting his hand on his beard.

"Captain, it's alright. I can vouch for my friends." Elsa assured him. "We need to go. Every moment we waste, Anna and the rest of the Cabinet could be in grave danger."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"The moment Melody and Tracy clear the bridge, you're to take the Queen's Guard and cross the bridge. Maui and myself will make sure the palace courtyard is clear for everyone to enter."

"Queen Elsa, you know that I cannot allow you to put yourself at risk like that." Frederick said, and Elsa knew he was mortified at the idea of her being in the middle of the entire thing, even though he didn't show it. "My job is to protect you from all harm."

"Frederick, it'll be fine." Elsa replied firmly. "I've survived worse this past week. Come, we're wasting time. Ready your men."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Elsa knew that Frederick was clearly uneasy and in violent objection of her plan, but being the loyal Captain that he was, he would obey her directives. "Once Maui and I are inside and open the gates," she glanced round at the warriors and the soldiers. "I'll lead the way. I know the castle better than anyone else."

**MELODY**

"Let's go." Melody took off her jacket and nodded at Tracy, and the two made their way discreetly out of the shophouse. They glanced over at the opposite end of the bridge. It would be impossible for the sentries to spot them at such a great distance, but that didn't mean that they could be neglect their stealth. Tracy climbed down into the water and disappeared below the surface of the river, reverting to her natural form of an octopid. Melody knew that her own transformation wasn't exactly the most subtle or inconspicuous. In fact, her locket would give off a bright golden light and engulf her being in magic before she would finish her transformation into a mermaid. Even though the sentries wouldn't be able to see her, they would definitely see the glow from across the river and be alerted to the presence of intruders. _That certainly would not do. _

Melody stayed close to the abutment of the bridge in order to minimise the chances of giving away her position and climbed down into the river. She forced her way down as far as she could beneath the surface and spotted Tracy in her octopid form waiting for her. When she was sure that it would be safe to enact the transformation, she grasped the locket in her hand and closed her eyes.

Golden rays of light seeped through the gaps between her fingers and her hand was covered in a golden aura. The aura spread up her arm and engulfed her entire body in a blinding light. When the aura finally dissipated, Melody's legs had been replaced by her signature salmon pink tail. With that, the mermaid motioned for Tracy to start swimming towards the opposite end of the bridge.

The two kept close to the bottom of the bridge and made sure to stay a few feet below the surface to completely avoid being spotted by the enemy sentries while making their way towards the palace gates.

**ELSA**

Maui and Elsa headed up the stairs to the rooftop of the shophouse. With the fish hook in his hand, Maui shape-shifted into a brown hawk in a blinding flash of light, and continued to lead the way up the stairs, walking on his talons that had replaced his legs.

"Are you sure about this?" Frederick asked uneasily, accompanying the two warriors up to the rooftop. "Because I'm not."

"Have a little faith, Frederick." Elsa said as they reached the rooftop. They were careful not to make any rapid movements to avoid any chances of being spotted. "Remember the plan."

"Of course, Your Majesty."

Maui bent down and allowed Elsa to climb aboard, and she nested herself securely on the demigod's back. "You ready?" he turned back to make sure that she was secure.

"Let's go."

With that, Maui lifted himself high into the air, this time without his signature war cry. He flapped his gigantic wings and soared high above the palace and the clouds where the sentries would never think to look. As they circled above the castle of Arendelle, they looked down from their position in the night sky.

"Look," Elsa pointed at the courtyard. "There's four troopers patrolling the perimeter. We have to take them out."

"They're at opposite ends, though in pairs." Maui noted as he hovered, doing his best to keep them both steady.

"We're going to have to split up. Bring us closer."

Maui nodded and descended towards the palace ever so slowly like a feather being pulled down to the earth by gravity.

"I'll take the east side. Drop me on the second storey roof." Landing on the roof of the second level, Elsa dismounted and inched her way across the roof nearer to where the mercenaries were stationed below her, afraid that she was going to make a sound that would give away her position. Silently regretting her decision to wear kitten heels, she wished she had chosen sneakers or boots instead. However, there was no way she could have known that she would find herself in the middle of a mission to infiltrate her own castle to save her sister and the Regency Cabinet from a rogue Chancellor.

Arriving at a spot just above the pair of mercenaries below her, she crouched down. The ground wasn't too far, maybe she could jump from this height and land without injuring herself. _On second thought, maybe not. _

She aimed her hands at the muskets that the mercenaries were holding and let a short but strong stream of ice burst forth from her hands. The impact of the ice knocked the weapons out of the hands of the troopers and before they could react, Elsa leapt from the ledge she was crouching on and aimed her palms at the ground. The blast of ice slowed down her descent just as she was about to hit the ground. She formed a thick club of ice and brought it across one of the trooper's faces. The club broke into pieces upon impact and the man fell to the ground unconscious just as her feet touched the ground.

The other man immediately ran to pick up his weapon from the ground, and Elsa quickly froze the ground, causing him to slip on the ice and landing face first on the ground. As he tried to get up, Elsa ran over to him and without thinking, she clenched her fist and ice formed around it to protect her from the impact, and she landed a punch across the man's cheek. He slumped to the ground motionless and Elsa pulled back, heaving a sigh of relief. _Ow. _She nursed her hand._ She wasn't cut out for fighting like Melody was. _

On the west side, the troopers noticed the commotion and had turned their attention to Elsa, training their muskets on her. From behind the pillar, an enormous brown python emerged out of the shadows and wrapped itself around the two men, squeezing the breath out of them. After a bout of futile struggling, the pair of mercenaries fell unconscious as well, and the python released its grip on them. Shape-shifting back into his human form, Maui grinned at her and made his way across the courtyard towards the gates, and Elsa walked over to meet him.

**MELODY**

Back under the bridge, Tracy and Melody emerged from below the surface of the river slowly and looked up to see the two sentries standing by the gates, completely unaware of the two girls' presence. Melody looked at Tracy silently, pointing to her own tail, trying to tell her that she couldn't attack the two humans efficiently in her mermaid form as her tail would impede her movement and slow her down, and that Tracy had a better chance of taking the two sentries down. Somehow, by some sort of miracle, Tracy seemed to understand and gestured to Melody that she would handle them by herself.

Swiftly, two purple tentacles shot out of the water at the sentries. One latched onto the nearest sentry's right leg and gave it a vicious tug. The man lost his balance and crashed face first onto the ground. The other tentacle made a reach for the other man, but he was too far out of reach, and dodged the tentacle, pointing his musket at the octopid. Suddenly, the gates swung wide open, hitting the second man square in the face. He dropped his weapon and Tracy immediately lunged for it, pushing it out of his reach. As he looked up, a fist the size of a boulder met his jaw and he tumbled into the river.

"Looks like you've got everything handled without me." Melody said. She held the locket in her hand and transformed back into a human, climbing out of the river. "The coast is clear?"

"Yup." Elsa nodded.

"Honestly, I thought this Tobias would have more men standing guard." Melody looked up at the balcony of the courtyard overlooking the bridge and the river. "It almost feels too easy."

"Maybe he doesn't have enough men on his side." Tracy said as she transformed into a human again and her tentacles disappeared.

**ELSA**

"I hope you're right." Elsa said, looking across the bridge and raising her hand in the hopes that Frederick would see her signal. The Queen's Guardsmen began running across the bridge towards them.

"Never ceasing to surprise me." The Captain said as he stopped before Elsa.

"It's not over yet. Frederick, please hold down the fort here with the Guardsmen."

"We will."

"Come on, follow me. We'll go in by the west entrance where it's least likely to be guarded." Elsa led the way into the courtyard towards the west entrance of the castle, and silently hoped that Anna had been smart enough to evade capture by Chancellor Tobias.

Writer's Commentary:

Welcome back to the present day. I wanted to pick up immediately where we left off in the last novel. Bringing them back to Elsa's home turf for an opening battle was fun. I sort of painted Arendelle as a no man's land after the earthquakes, with a rogue military force taking over the castle.

This one was fun to write, bringing our Warriors a fresh mission Willy on in the novel. We'll be seeing a lot more action in the coming chapters. On an additional note, this novel takes place before the events of Frozen 2, so all these happen within the same timeline. I will eventually plot out a timeline of events for the existing stories as well as future novels. Stay excited, because I have a longer, more dynamic and explosive novel in store this time!


	3. Chapter 2: Infiltrating the Palace

Chapter Two

Infiltrating the Palace

**ANNA**

Crawling through the stuffy and crammed ventilation shaft, Princess Anna slowed down and looked down through the grills. There was a mercenary standing beneath her, armed with a musket. She groaned inwardly and continued to inch her way quietly through the ventilation shaft towards the next room. When she was sure that she was in the middle of two grills, she squeezed her way into a seated position and leaned against the dusty wall, hunching over due to the lack of space. Dusting her hands off on her skirt, she wiped the beads of perspiration from her face. For a ventilation shaft, the air quality was horrible and stuffy. _How did I get myself into a spot like this? _

Well, for starters, the earthquakes had hit Arendelle out of seemingly nowhere and the kingdom had sustained some damage. The earthquakes had started around six in the evening when she was still taking a nap, which jolted her awake. However, the natural disasters had stopped abruptly as quickly as they had started, almost as if there was a supernatural force at play. Nevertheless, the earthquakes had done their damage, and the kingdom was in a state of ruin and panic. The castle itself hadn't been damaged in any major way, but everyone was still in shock. Apparently, Chancellor Tobias had seized the moment of confusion and led a group of private mercenaries across the bridge and into the castle, trapping Anna and the Regency Cabinet and forcing the Queen's Guard to retreat.

Anna had been smart enough to hide when Tobias and his men broke into the palace. She assumed that the members of the Cabinet had been taken hostage as she hadn't seen them since. It had been close to a day of running and hiding in the enormous castle and evading the enemies that had taken over her home, and she desperately felt like she needed a long, hot soapy bath. Wiping away the perspiration and grime from her face and hands, she got up and continued crawling through the ventilation shaft. She was sure that she would soon find the exit and she could get the Queen's Guard to help overthrow the insurgents. But then again, she thought she had found the exit hours ago, but it turned out that the "exit" was the mop closet where Kristoff had been hiding. Apparently, Kristoff had been coming to see her when Tobias and his private army had stormed the castle, forcing Kristoff to hide himself in the mop closet. There was no way that the both of them could possibly stop Tobias and his men by themselves, so the most viable option was for Kristoff to continue hiding in the closet and for her to continue on by herself through the ventilation shaft in the hopes that she would eventually escape and bring back help to restore order to Arendelle.

All of a sudden, the flooring of the ventilation shaft beneath her gave way, and she found herself tumbling through the gap, crashing heavily through a cabinet of fine china. The sound of the shattering plates was sure to draw attention, and sure enough, two men dressed in full black entered the room. Anna sat up from the ruins of the fine china and rubbed her back. _Oh well. The chase could go on for only so long anyway._ She found herself being escorted through the dark corridors of the palace to the Council Chambers where the rest of the Cabinet members were being held. The earthquakes had cut off the power supply to the castle as well as the rest of the kingdom, and Anna found that it made the home she grew up in suddenly feel very creepy. Maybe it was because a strange man had taken over her residence and was now holding her hostage.

She entered the Council Chambers, accompanied by Tobias' mercenaries, and was greeted by the helpless gazes of the captive Regency Cabinet members. Over at the far end of the room, a middle aged man with greying hair stood by the large window.

"Welcome, Your Highness." Chancellor Tobias turned around to face his newest captive. "You're a hard woman to find."

"That was the idea." Anna said disdainfully, looking at at her surroundings, her mind racing to find a way to escape. She noticed a tall man standing by the window, cloaked in black with a cloth hood over his head and a black full face mask which had netted paddings over the eyes and mouth that fully hid his features. He also wore a scabbard on his back. From how differently he was dressed compared to the other mercenaries, she assumed that the man was a partner of Tobias who controlled the private army.

"Please," Chancellor Tobias gestured at an empty chair at the table where the rest of the Cabinet members were seated. "Don't stand on ceremony. Take a seat and have some tea."

"I'll stand."

"I said-" Tobias slammed the table forcefully. "-sit, please."

Anna narrowed her eyes and sat down beside two Cabinet members. "Don't worry," she whispered to the ones on her left and right. "We'll be fine."

"Don't be too sure of that." Tobias walked slowly around the table towards her. "You're not in charge here. Not anymore."

"At least admit that this was your end goal all along." Anna said. "Inciting doubt and mistrust, suggesting the kingdom wide referendum, this was all just to get the throne from Elsa." In a way, Tobias reminded her of the villainous Prince Hans who had very similar intentions. Appearing as a noble man, but having a stone cold heart full of evil ambitions.

"Yes, I admit. I honestly thought that the people would vote against your sister. Alas, they're naive like you."

"They believe the best in Elsa. And they're right to do so. You lost, Tobias." Anna retorted.

"Have I?" The Chancellor smiled, sending chills down her spine. "I'm here right now, aren't I? And so are all of you." He glanced round at Anna and the Cabinet members.

"So what, because Elsa won and you lost your chance to take the throne legally, you resorted to taking the castle by force? That's kind of a new low. Even for you."

"Admit it, Princess. You didn't see it coming."

"You won't get away with this." Anna looked up at him in defiance. "Elsa is coming back. Didn't you hear?"

"I've got men posted everywhere around the castle. There's no way she's getting in here." Tobias smirked confidently. "Even if she tries, they have orders to shoot on sight."

ELSA

"This way." Elsa led the way through the West Wing of the palace, with the warriors close behind. "It's the most secure side of the palace and the least likely for enemies to break in through. Tobias would have his men roam the halls of the North Wing where the Council Chambers and the Throne Room are."

"The Cabinet members are still trapped in here, so I'm guessing that Tobias would logically have them gathered in the Council Chambers." Melody added.

"What about your sister?" Tracy asked.

"I honestly don't know." Elsa pursed her lips. "Anna's so unpredictable. I have no idea where she would be hiding, or if Tobias has her too."

"Doesn't matter. We'll find her." Maui put his large hand on her shoulder.

"I-I hope so. I can't lose her. I can't. Not when I just got her back after all these years." Elsa said, her voice trembling a little. "Maybe it was a mistake to leave Arendelle after I had just reunited with Anna. If I didn't, I would have been here to defend and protect Anna from Tobias."

"Hey, I'm pretty sure Anna is more than capable of fending for herself." Melody assured her. "I've only met her briefly when I was looking for you, but I could already tell that she's a survivor."

Elsa gave her a weak smile. "Come on, we have to hurry."

"I think we should split up. We'll be less likely to be spotted that way." Melody said.

"What do you suggest?"

"I'll go with Tracy to clear the palace of the roaming mercenaries, while you and Maui take the main route and save Anna and the Cabinet from Tobias."

Elsa nodded. "Maui and I will take the shortcut through the ventilation shaft to avoid being spotted," she glanced at the ventilation shaft above her. "You can get to the North Wing through the kitchen on the third floor from here." She gestured to a flight of stairs nearby.

"See you in a bit." Tracy and Melody began making their way up the stairs to the kitchen that Elsa had spoken of.

"Ventilation shaft?" Maui cocked an eyebrow.

"It's the safest and shortest route." Elsa explained. "It's going to be a bit crammed and dusty, but it'll take us right to the room where Tobias is likely holding Anna and the Cabinet."

"What makes you think he'll be holding them in that room? Why not any other?"

"He's too comfortable with the familiar. As part of the Cabinet, he spent years in that room during Cabinet meetings. He would know the layout of the room like the back of his hand, and would choose to use that room as his fortress. He'll have that room guarded from every corner." Elsa tied her hair into a bun, foreseeing that her long braided hair would get grimy in the narrow ventilation shaft. "That's why we can't take the conventional route. He won't be expecting us to come down from the ventilation shaft."

"I hope you know what you're doing, Elsa."

"Right now, only one thing is clear to me," Elsa froze the bolts on the ventilation shaft above her head. "I have to get my sister back."

"We will." Maui reached up and grabbed the grill of the ventilation shaft, pulling it down without much force. The frozen bolts gave way, and the shaft had a new opening, barely large enough for Elsa's slender frame to squeeze through. He tucked the grill behind a wall where it wouldn't be spotted, and placed both hands together as a stepping stone for Elsa. She placed a foot on his hands and he gave her a push. Grabbing onto the ventilation shaft, Elsa pulled herself up and squeezed through the gap. Wow. There really wasn't much space to move. Maybe this wasn't the best plan, but it was too late to turn back now.

In a flash of light, Maui shape-shifted into a brown python and raised himself into the ventilation shaft beside Elsa. Even though she knew it was just Maui, Elsa shuddered and her hair stood on end as she felt the python's scaly skin brush against hers in the small confined space. Crawling on all fours and bent over, Elsa led the way through the ventilation shaft towards the direction of the Council Chambers, with Maui slithering a short distance behind her.

**MELODY**

Tracy and Melody came to a stop at the landing of the flight of stairs in between the second and third storey, and crouched behind the railing. Two mercenaries decked out in full black military gear and armed with muskets were standing at the top of the stairs with their backs to the two girls.

"How do we get past them?" Tracy mouthed the words, gesturing at the two mercenaries.

Melody motioned for the two of them to head down the stairs to the second storey, and Tracy nodded. Upon reaching the second storey, Melody and Tracy crept through the hallways, silently hoping that they would not bump into anyone along the way. "There has to be an armoury somewhere around here. We can't face the mercenaries completely unarmed." Melody whispered.

"Maybe this is it." Tracy pointed to a door on the right side of the hallway.

"Maybe." Melody opened the door and jumped.

"Who are you?" A man hissed, pointing a mop at the two girls. "Are you with the mercenaries?"

"No, no." Melody stepped back. "We're with Queen Elsa. We're here to save Princess Anna and the Regency Cabinet from Chancellor Tobias."

"Thank goodness." The man put down the mop and stepped out of the mop closet. "Is it safe out here? Where's Anna?" he glanced around the hallway, checking to see if the coast was clear and if the two girls were telling the truth.

"Who are you?" Tracy asked suspiciously.

"My name is Kristoff. Anna's my girlfriend." Kristoff answered.

Melody looked at Kristoff. He was a tall young man who had broad shoulders and a muscular physique. His head was fully covered by golden blonde hair, and he had light brown eyes. He sported a dark brown sweater with a burgundy sash, thick trousers and brown mountain climbing boots.

"Anna's still somewhere in the palace, but we'll find her. Listen, d'you know where the armoury is?" Tracy asked.

"I've only seen it once. Follow me, it's not far from here." Kristoff motioned for the two girls to follow him.

Soon, they arrived at the armoury, and began arming themselves with light weight weapons. Tracy looked at all the shiny weapons in awe, but decided to stick with her own black magic. Kristoff chose a folding karambits knife, which he placed on his belt, and armed himself with a pistol. Melody chose a longbow, as it was the only one available. She would have preferred a standard recurve bow, but unfortunately there wasn't any. Nevertheless, she would have to get used to the longbow, at least for one night. Slinging a quiver of arrows over her shoulder, she walked out of the armoury with Kristoff and Tracy following behind.

"We're going to secure the palace. We'll leave the infiltration of the Council Chambers to Elsa. She'll stop Tobias." Melody filled Kristoff in on the plan while nocking a single arrow on her longbow.

"Elsa?" Kristoff was surprised. "She's here too?"

"Yeah, she just returned to Arendelle. We were supposed to be celebrating a victory after stopping the earthquakes, but then we learnt that the castle had been overthrown by Tobias and-."

"Woah hold on, _you_ stopped the earthquakes?" Kristoff cut in, evidently in disbelief. "How is that even possible?"

"You've seen Elsa's magic right?" Tracy retorted. "Is it really hard to believe that there's more magic out there other than Elsa's?"

"Huh." Kristoff still had a look of unbudging disbelief on his face. "Excuse me if I don't exactly believe it."

"Skeptic huh?" Tracy smirked at Melody.

"Quiet. This is no time to be arguing." Melody whispered, holding her longbow a little tighter as they approached the landing of the staircase again. She stopped where she could have a clear line of sight to the side profile of one of the mercenaries and aimed her arrow at his musket. She released the arrow and it knocked the rifle out of the mercenary's hand. The other mercenary aimed his musket at the warriors, and found himself holding a long tree branch instead. He looked at Tracy, who grinned at him, purple mist swirling from her hands.

Melody ran up the stairs towards the two mercenaries, who similarly ran down to meet her. She faded to the right as the first man lunged out in an attempt to clobber her, and the man lost his balance, tripping on the carpeted steps. As the first man attempted to get up, Kristoff landed a boot across his cheek, knocking him unconscious. The second mercenary was a little wiser, back-pedalling up the stairs and abandoning the tree branch. Reaching the top of the stairs, he turned to run, clearly with the intentions of warning his companions of the warriors' presence. As he ran down the long hallway, Melody simply took her time to aim another arrow. She let it go and it zipped towards the man, closing the gap quickly. From afar, she saw him stagger and fall as the arrow hit the back of his thigh.

"Clear." Melody nodded at Kristoff and Tracy, and they walked down the hallway towards the kitchen that Elsa had told them about earlier. They entered the kitchen to find the cooks and servants huddled together in fear, and reassured them that the mercenaries prowling outside had been neutralized.

"I think you're right," Melody said to Tracy as they clear the next corridor of another lone mercenary. "I suspect that Tobias doesn't have enough mercenaries to take over the entire estate properly."

"Right." Kristoff said, still holding his pistol. "So now we just wait?"

Melody nodded. "Just wait for Elsa to work her magic."

ELSA

"I think we're here." Elsa whispered to Maui as they neared a grill that allowed a dim light from below to filter through. She crawled slowly and quietly towards the grill, and looked down through the opening. Sure enough, they were in the right place. The Council Chambers was filled with people. Three unarmed mercenaries were spread out through the room, a tall hooded man stood by the window who she assumed was the commander of the mercenaries, and standing at the head of the table was the villain, Chancellor Tobias himself. Elsa gritted her teeth. All the members of the Regency Cabinet were seated at the table, and so was Anna.

"At least we know she's here." The python whispered.

"We need a plan to free the hostages." Elsa glanced down at Anna.

Seated at the table, Anna looked past the Chancellor who was proudly monologuing, and saw the face of her sister peering down at her through the grills of the ventilation shaft at the far end of the room.

"-and that's how I succeeded." Chancellor Tobias finished triumphantly, completely unaware that the queen was present in the room.

"That…is an amazing story." Anna said. "Maybe you should tell it to the queen herself."

"What?"

The grill of the ventilation shaft dropped to the ground with a loud noise, and Elsa slid through the opening, landing on the carpeted floor gracefully. She quickly sent three simultaneous streams of ice in the directions of the three mercenaries, and froze their legs to the ground.

"It's over, Chancellor." Elsa walked towards Tobias slowly as Maui slid down through the ventilation shaft and shape-shifted back into his natural form. "Tell your hooded friend to stand down." She shot a glance over at the tall man in the corner. He had not budged or made a sound, and was just watching the events unfold like a spectator at a sports game.

"Queen Elsa. Welcome back to Arendelle, Your Majesty." Tobias inched his way around the table towards the spot where Anna was seated. "I have to say, I was not expecting to see you tonight."

"I know all about your plan to have me abdicated from the throne." Elsa said, glancing back and forth at the hooded man and at Tobias.

"It was a brilliant plan, wasn't it?" Tobias drew a knife and placed it near Anna's neck. "It's just too bad that the people are all misguided fools."

"No," Elsa stopped. "They see me for who I truly am."

"No they don't. Not yet." Tobias retorted. "Not until they know what horrors the Elemental Sorcerers are capable of conjuring up and how dangerous your kind truly are."

_Elemental Sorcerers? _Elsa remembered hearing that term somewhere before. Where was it? On board the Hanedale when she was fighting Major Kane. He said that she must be one of the "Elemental Sorcerers". _What did he and Tobias mean? _"What are you talking about?" Elsa slowly raised her right hand, aiming it at Tobias ever so slowly.

"That's cute. You don't even know what you are." Tobias grinned. "Don't come any closer, Your Majesty. Or your sister dies."

Elsa lowered her right hand, holding out her left to signal to Maui not to agitate the Chancellor. Her eyes darted over to Anna's hands, which she had placed on the table. Her right hand were slowly inching over to the pot of hot tea near her, and Elsa instinctively knew what her sister was going to try to do. _Good old Anna. _

Tobias was too distracted to notice Anna's hand sliding towards the pot, and only knew it when the porcelain shattered on his head and the scalding hot tea spilled all over him. Elsa immediately seized the opportunity and launched a stream of ice at him, knocking the knife clean out of his hand.

"Anna, run!" she shouted, as Maui ran to the door and kicked it down.

"Everyone outside, now!" Anna hurried the Cabinet members out of the room, leaving Maui and Elsa alone with Chancellor Tobias and the hooded man who had still not budged from his spot by the window.

"You're done, Tobias. You might as well surrender now." Elsa glanced over at the man by the window. He had a full face mask on and his expression was completely unreadable, but she still felt creeped out by him. "You too."

"On the contrary, Your Majesty." The hooded man finally spoke. His voice was deep and almost mechanical, and Elsa was sure that his voice had been altered to conceal his identity.

"Who are you?" she asked, turning her attention to the mysterious enemy. She trusted that Maui would watch her back.

"Prometheus."

"Why are you here? Why are you working with Tobias? What do you have to gain from all this?" She probed further, inching towards him.

"You'll know soon enough." Out of the sudden, Prometheus forcefully threw a small pellet on the ground, causing a bright flash of light to be emitted from the point of impact.

Elsa shielded her eyes, and Prometheus seized the moment of distraction, diving through the window, shattering it into a million pieces. Stunned, Elsa regained enough sense to rush over to the broken window, and looked down. There was no sign of a body and the mystery man was gone without a trace, almost as if he had vanished into the shadows. She was too distracted to see Tobias drawing his pistol.

"If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself." Tobias growled, pointing his pistol at the back of Elsa's head.

"NO!" Maui rammed into Tobias and slammed him against the wall with such force that the whole room seemed to shake. The Chancellor dropped his pistol as Maui landed blow after blow. A rare viciousness in his eyes, Maui grabbed Tobias like he was a rag doll and threw him on the ground with brute force. Maui climbed on top of the fallen man and continued battering the defenceless Chancellor.

"Maui! Stop! STOP!" With all her strength, Elsa tugged him away, and only then did Maui pause to consider what he had done. He stood up hurriedly, backing away from the limp body.

"Wha-" Melody walked in with the longbow in hand, Tracy and Kristoff following closely behind with Anna, and they were shocked at the scene that met their eyes.

"What…what have I done?" Maui looked at his blood stained hands, knowing full well that the blood wasn't his. He backed away some more, a mix of horror and regret on his face.

Elsa knelt down quickly and felt for a pulse. "He's alive, but he's in critical condition." She spun around. "Hurry, fetch the medics!"

Anna turned and ran to get help, while the rest walked into the room quietly.

"I'm sorry." Maui whispered. "I didn't mean to. I-I have to go." He walked towards the opening where the window used to stand and in a blinding flash of light, he shape-shifted into a brown hawk and took off, disappearing into the night.

Elsa got up from her crouched position and walked over to the window and watched helplessly as the demigod flew farther and farther away from Arendelle. She turned back to the rest of the warriors, who had equally dumbfounded expressions on their faces. _What now? _

Writer's Commentary:

For the first time in forever, we are introduced to a new character: Anna. Though she's no stranger to the "Frozenverse". We will be seeing quite a lot from her perspective this time round, and I think this is the perfect way to introduce her to the Warriors. After all, we know from the movie Frozen that she's a intrepid adventure seeker who's strong in her own right, but the Warriors don't really know that.

Do you often find yourselves in situations where you feel doesn't do justice to who you really are or what you're capable of? That's where I'm placing Anna at this point of the story. She finds herself held captive, seemingly helpless, which is exactly where she doesn't want to be. She'll be afraid that it creates a sort of negative impression, which she will then work hard to erase later in the story.

And that ending was rather unexpected, wasn't it? It brings a slightly darker and mature element to this story. A word of warning, we will be pushing the boundaries this time round, exploring a little darker themes and having more brutal battles. At the point of this writing, I have already completed the first draft, and I can testify to the scope of this sequel! Stay excited!


	4. Chapter 3: A New Day

Chapter Three

A New Day

**ANNA**

Escorted by a few members of the Queen's Guard, Anna sat in her personal horse carriage that was being pulled towards the town square and looked around at the massive crowd that had gathered to commemorate the Death Anniversary of the renowned Archbishop of the Church of Arendelle. Some of the more important people in Arendelle such as the nobles and the aristocrats had seats prepared for them while the commoners stood behind them, with many others crowding into the shops and houses or watching from the balconies on the second and third storeys. All the buildings that were built around the massive town square were filled with people squeezing against each other to get a glimpse of the speaker's rostrum in the centre of the square. No matter the pedigree, everyone could agree on one thing. They were all excited and intrigued to hear what the Queen of Arendelle had to say in her first public address.

"This way, Your Highness."

Anna was guided to her seat- _oh, the front row. Seriously, what else could she expect?_ She navigated to her seat, and the two men of the upperclass seated beside her stood up and bowed in acknowledgement of the Princess' presence. She smiled warmly and took her seat. On her right was a respectable and well known doctor in the kingdom who kept looking at his watch impatiently, seeming to be in a hurry to get back to his practice, and on her left sat a young distinguished looking Count who looked proud of himself to be seated beside the Princess of Arendelle.

Gazing behind her, she could see that merchants had set up their carts amongst the crowd in an attempt to capitalise on the major event that was taking place that day. And sure enough, the people were flocked around the merchants to buy Kjøttkaker, meat cakes made out of ground beef, and Stekte pølser, fried sausages served with potatoes and peas, both of which were immensely popular in Arendelle. Suddenly, Anna felt her stomach growl, and she wished that she could just queue up together with the rest of the citizens of the kingdom to get her fill of the aromatic and savoury snacks, but sadly, royal etiquette forbade her from doing so.

"All rise for Her Royal Majesty, Queen Elsa of Arendelle!" a loud voice boomed.

Anna turned to the front to see her sister being escorted by Senior Captain Frederick to the speaker's rostrum located at the centre of the town square where everyone could see. She rose and was astounded by the thunderous claps and cheers that reverberated through the atmosphere as Elsa took her place at the rostrum. Seeing her sister smile and wave at the crowd put a massive grin on her own face. This was the first time ever that Elsa was getting up in front of her people, not counting her coronation.

Come to think of it, the Coronation had taken place three months ago, and after "The Great Freeze" and Elsa's powers were revealed to the world, things had taken a rather weird turn in her life. Anna had been happy enough to finally have the gates of the castle opened, but then she had found herself journeying up to the North Mountain to get her sister to reverse the damage she had done. And then, she had been accidentally struck by ice, and discovered that Prince Hans had been a manipulative serpent the entire time. The one good thing that came out of that was that she learnt to be less naive and in the process, she found Kristoff.

After that, Elsa had returned to Arendelle and thawed the kingdom, but then Anna and her sister found themselves in the middle of a political uproar. The fiend Chancellor Tobias had sowed mistrust and fear into the members of the Royal Cabinet, and thus the referendum was launched. It had sent Elsa into a depressed state, and honestly, Anna felt like she couldn't blame her sister. It had been an emotional roller coaster for the newly crowned Queen, to have her powers exposed to the world and then treated like an outcast by her own ministers, and it was not surprising that Elsa had decided that she needed a hiatus from everything. Thankfully, the Arendellians had faith in Elsa and had voted for her to remain on the throne, and as a result, Tobias' best laid plans to ascend the throne had been laid to waste.

And even then, there was more to the story. A girl from Denmark had come riding to the castle to look for Elsa to get her help on something important. Elsa had disappeared and not returned for what seemed like forever to Anna, and she had been genuinely worried for her sister. _What had happened to her? And where did she go?_ A few days later, Anna had awoken in the middle of a bout of earthquakes that had hit the kingdom, and suddenly, the castle was being overthrown by the villainous Chancellor Tobias and his private band of mercenaries. Fortunately, Elsa and her new friends arrived back in Arendelle just in time to put an end to the evil Chancellor's schemes. _That was two months ago. _

Now, Elsa was getting up in front of her people for the very first time to address them as their Queen. From her seat in the front row, Anna could see Elsa unfold a piece of paper and glance through it quickly before tucking it away. Elsa looked up and cleared her throat.

"A very good morning to all distinguished citizens of Arendelle. Thank you for joining me on this solemn day." Elsa began, a hint of uncertainty in her voice. She paused and glanced around at the crowd that had fallen silent, all eyes fixed on their queen. She blinked and continued. "All of you here know the importance of this day. Twenty two years ago on this very day, we lost an outstanding citizen of Arendelle. The Archbishop of the Church of Arendelle.

"He was a man of great spiritual value to our kingdom, and we lost him to unknown causes. Some say the Archbishop died of old age, while others claim he was murdered. While we might never know the truth, we can all agree on one thing. He was a man of paramount significance to Arendelle, and my late father, King Agnarr, recognized this. That is why he commissioned this day to be a holy one where we all come together every year to remember the life of the Archbishop."

Elsa paused to take a breather, and Anna caught her eye. Anna gave her a thumbs up and Elsa saw it before continuing. "King Agnarr paved the way for Arendelle in its hardest years since his own coronation more than two decades ago, and established the Archbishop's legacy and presence in our present society. His efforts and life's work was dedicated to the betterment of the lives of his people, and my father made sure that the Archbishop's principles and beliefs that governed the Church were applied to the laws and legislations in our fair government. And that brings me to my next point for today. As you all know, this is the first time I am making a public address since my coronation. And we all know how that went." She cracked a feeble joke, and some chuckles and polite laughter could be heard among the crowd.

"But standing here today, with no secrets hidden any longer, I would like to set the record straight for the first time on this solemn and holy day. We all have seen the true colours of Chancellor Tobias, who is now safely tucked away in our most secure prison. Some of you might know and some may not, but he instigated the referendum in an attempt to dethrone me and gain the throne for himself. But you, the people have spoken. I am deeply honoured to be entrusted with this privilege to continue ruling as your queen."

Elsa paused again, an air of confidence building up in her. "Your votes are the evidence of your faith in me, and I promise, there will be no more secrets kept from you. I will do my utmost best to earn the trust you have placed in me, and will defend the kingdom of Arendelle with my dying breath."

The silence broke and the people erupted into cheers and applause which were even more thunderous than the first time, and it was impossible to know whether Elsa had completed her speech, since she would not have been able to get another word in with the crowd in such a state of excitement. Elsa mouthed "thank you" to the masses and waved as she stepped off the stage and was escorted away by soldiers of the Queen's Guard.

Anna smiled as she took in the atmosphere of satisfied citizens. Who knew that Elsa could make a speech and get the people riled up like that? She stood up, and was escorted away from the crowd to her own horse at the side of the square.

"Your Highness, may we escort you back to the castle?" One of the lieutenants accompanying her asked.

"No need for that," Anna smiled. "I'll be sticking around for a bit."

"Very well, Your Highness." The lieutenant bowed. "We will stay close and wait."

"Please don't bother waiting for me." Anna replied. "Head back to the palace for tea, or something."

"Are you sure, Your Highness? The Captain gave us explicit orders to keep you under surveillance. Orders from the Queen herself."

"I can take care of myself, if my sister's wondering." Anna tried to hide the fact that she felt insulted. "Take a break. Consider _that_ an order from the Princess. I'll see you all later."

"Yes, Your Highness. Will you like us to leave your horse here for you?"

"Oh, yes please."

The lieutenant bowed, and signalled to the rest of the soldiers to form up and head back to the castle.

Anna watched as the soldiers marched away and sighed. She was slightly annoyed that Elsa had given orders to the Queen's Guard to have Anna watched. _What, does Elsa think I'm five?_ She knew that Elsa had the best intentions to keep her safe, but it felt like Elsa didn't trust her to take care of herself. Maybe it was because two months ago, Chancellor Tobias had taken her hostage in her own home, but Anna had been doing fine for the first twenty hours or so.

It was only because the old ventilation shaft had given way that she had been caught. Elsa didn't know that she had been doing fine fending for herself. In fact, even without Elsa or Maui, she was certain that she could have figured out a way to escape. Nevertheless, Elsa had shown up with the Warriors, as they had called themselves, and stopped Chancellor Tobias with cohesiveness, efficiency and professionalism. _Not including the brutal beatdown that Maui had given Tobias after he had been defeated, of course._ Anna decided to ignore the demigod's vicious actions and chalk it up to accident, not wanting to think about it too much.

Walking back into the crowd, Anna scanned the faces of the people. Spotting who she was looking for below one of the shelters of a building, she walked over. "How's business?"

"Pretty good for a Monday morning." Kristoff gave Anna a kiss, and continued packing his cart. "I never knew that this could be so successful." He said, feeding his reindeer Sven a chocolate cone.

Anna chuckled. The former ice harvester had abandoned his previous profession that had him out in the mountains for months at a time, and instead settled for a more stable job selling ice cream in the town. She had been skeptical of his decision at first, but she could see now that it was the right call. Who knew that selling ice cream in Arendelle could be such a profitable business?

"Yeah, I never knew that Kristoff could be so successful." Olaf chimed in.

Anna had to stifle her giggle. Olaf the Snowman was so innocent that his remarks sometimes ended up doing more harm then good, though he usually had the best of intentions. After all, he had volunteered to be the mascot of Kristoff's new ice cream business, and it had been a wild success so far.

"Glad that you know now." Kristoff said in a blatantly offended tone, scooping out a large serving of chocolate ice cream for Anna and placing it on a cone. "Here."

"Ooh, chocolate." She took it thankfully and began devouring the cold snack in the most un-regal way that would make the commoners awkward at the sight.

"I have to say, Elsa gave a pretty good speech. I didn't know she had it in her." Kristoff took a scoop of ice cream for himself and gave it to Sven for a lick.

"Honestly, me neither." Anna took a huge lick from her lop-sided ice cream and sat down on a nearby bench. "I think her time with 'the Warriors' really changed her for the better."

"Warriors. It's a little on the nose." Olaf said, propping himself up on the bench beside Anna. "What exactly do they do? Apart from waging war."

"No, Olaf, that's not what 'warriors' mean." Anna corrected him quickly, and Kristoff sniggered. "They stopped the earthquakes before they got worse." Anna explained the little that she knew about her sister's adventure. In truth, she didn't know much more than she had just said. Elsa had been rather stingy with the details, opting to keep Anna as far away from danger as possible, which really ticked her off.

"Yeah, and how exactly did they do that?" Kristoff probed as Sven devoured the rest of his ice cream.

"I don't know." Anna admitted with her mouth full of ice cream. "Elsa didn't really tell me much about her time away from Arendelle."

"Yeah, I'm sorry, I'm not really buying it."

"What do you mean?" Olaf turned to Kristoff. "Have you seen Elsa's powers?"

"Yes, I have," Kristoff said gruffly. "But if you ask me, that's just a one-off case. I mean, can you really believe that a bunch of 'warriors' are running around the world 'stopping earthquakes'? Is that _really_ the world we live in now?"

Anna was silent for a long time, which was something she wasn't accustomed to. There was some truth to Kristoff's words, even though they were clearly steeped in skepticism. Was this really the world they lived in now? Magical powers and evil warlords who wanted to destroy the world? Anna didn't know, but she did know one thing for sure. If it was all real, Anna wanted in on the action. Seeing her sister being approached by Melody to embark on an important mission made her feel jealous, even though she had done her best to hide it. She had provided Melody and Maui with a map and a jacket, sending them in the right direction, and as she watched them leave to find Elsa, she had bitten back a pang of sadness and jealousy. It was clear that she had been overlooked and that she wasn't considered worthy enough to be a "Warrior". Anna bit her lip, deciding not to mention any of what she felt just yet.

"Well, if it is, then count me in." Anna forced a smile.

"Count me _out_." Kristoff began tying his cart to Sven, getting ready to leave the town square. "I'm happy with my life here. I don't need magic or adventures or some secret quest. It's only been three months since I settled down in Arendelle to be together with you, and I just want to ease into my new life selling ice cream. So much has changed in these past months, and I don't need it to change any more than it already has."

Anna sighed. Again, Kristoff had every right to feel the way he did. He had uprooted his life of being an ice harvester so that he could live in Arendelle's palace and be with her. Things had been incredibly hard for him, so who could blame him for wanting to just settle down into a life of normalcy?

"Look, I'll catch you later alright?" He gave Anna a kiss and mounted Sven. "I've got to go meet some potential investors in the business."

"I'll go with you!" Olaf hopped onto the ice cream cart and Kristoff pulled away from the town square, leaving Anna alone with her ice cream still in hand.

Wolfing down the rest of her ice cream, she took a stroll through the kingdom, much of which had been repaired after the damage done by the earthquakes. She still didn't have a full picture of what had happened, even though she had eagerly flooded Elsa with a tirade of questions about her adventure after the entire debacle with Chancellor Tobias had settled down. _Why did Melody approach her? Where did she go? Why were there suddenly random earthquakes and storms that took place consecutively? Who exactly were the Warriors?_

However, Elsa had continuously evaded answering her questions until she got annoyed by Anna's constant pestering. Her sister eventually caved and told her that she was better off not knowing what had happened on the journey. Elsa had gone on to set the record straight that that part of her life was over and that she just wanted to concentrate on being the queen to her people. Anna felt exasperated that her sister was deliberately keeping the juicy stories from her and couldn't understand for the life of her why someone wouldn't want to be a part of a great adventure with "the Warriors".

She had begged her sister but eventually she gave up, knowing that Elsa was like a brick wall, stubborn and unbudging, and was forced to just move on with life like nothing had ever happened. Well, at least now Elsa had let Anna into her life and there were no more locked doors between them. At least that was progress, if nothing else. Nonetheless, Anna felt like there could be so much more waiting for her, and her dream was just to be on another adventure with her sister, and even better, with the Warriors.


	5. Chapter 4: Heavy is the Head

Chapter Four

Heavy is the Head

**ELSA**

Elsa gazed out at the fjords that Arendelle was built upon centuries ago, covered by warm rays of the late morning sunlight, and took a moment to enjoy and bask in the tranquility of it all before she had to throw herself back into her duties as queen. She had so much work to do with the Cabinet, and the speech was just the beginning of a long day for her.

Pulling at the seams of her tight formal black dress, Elsa shifted into a more comfortable position in the horse carriage, silently lamenting that she was unable to change out or create a more comfortable outfit for herself since Captain Frederick was sitting opposite her. _It just wouldn't be appropriate._

As it was the Death Anniversary of the Archbishop of the Church of Arendelle, it was mandated that every citizen of the kingdom - and that included the queen - had to be adorned in black clothing to honour and commemorate the unfortunate passing of the Archbishop twenty two years ago. It was a day that had been observed every single year, but this was the first time that Elsa had stood up in front of her people as the new queen to address them. She still didn't know how she had managed to pull it off in the town square as she felt uncomfortable in front of crowds, which was very evident during her coronation three months back. As the carriage crossed the bridge, flanked by four other guards riding on their own army horses, Elsa glanced at Captain Frederick, who was quietly alert as usual.

"Frederick?"

Captain Frederick looked at her. "Yes, Your Majesty?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"How was the speech? Did it sound… I don't know… weird coming from me?" Elsa asked anxiously, hoping that he would give her some reassurance.

"It was excellent. Couldn't have said it better myself." Frederick answered with his trademark straight face with no sign that he was lying or telling the truth, which drove Elsa crazy when she so desperately wanted to know.

"Captain."

"Yes, Your Majesty?"

"The truth please." She said, shifting again in her seat.

"It _is _the truth. Your speech in the town square resonated with everyone who came to hear what you had to say." Frederick replied, his voice steadfast. "Didn't you hear the resounding claps and cheers? The people were quite literally chanting your name. Don't worry, Your Majesty, the people of Arendelle love you. They wouldn't have chosen you to be their queen otherwise."

"I think I needed to hear that. Thanks, Frederick."

"Anytime, Your Majesty."

Elsa exhaled quietly in relief. Till this day, she was still in awe of the fact that the Arendellians had chosen her to remain in power even though they had been presented with a chance to choose someone better. That was something she couldn't completely wrap her head around. Sure, she had gained some self confidence in the past few months, and that was mostly because of the fact that she knew her people chose her, but in the first place, why would they want her to continue ruling as their queen? They had seen her secret exposed with their own eyes. Shaking her head, Elsa decided to just chalk it up to good faith. She had more pressing concerns to worry about anyway.

The horse carriage entered the courtyard and came to a gradual stop outside the entrance of the palace. Elsa stepped out of the carriage and gave a courteous smile as the soldiers from the Queen's Guard bowed smartly in acknowledgement of her presence, and they gave Captain Frederick a parade ground salute before being sent on their way with new orders. Walking into the palace, Elsa was greeted by more servants who immediately attended to her smiled and waved them away, preferring to clean up after herself. _Right there was more evidence that her people loved her._

###

_ Here goes. _Dressed in a rich lavender dress and matching kitten heels_, _Elsa took a deep breath as she walked down the hallway towards the Council Chambers. It was time for her to attend the monthly cabinet meeting again, which she secretly loathed. She had no clue about politics at all, and she had spent the previous meeting silently trying to figure out what the cabinet members were arguing about while putting on a front of steadfast regal composure. Ever since Chancellor Tobias revealed his true colours to the entire kingdom, all members of the Cabinet had been working tirelessly to redeem the people's trust in the government, and that had resulted in some unwanted tension between the ministers.

She had spent the rest of the morning and most of the afternoon going over documents and updates that were delivered to her, in a bid to catch up with everything that would be discussed in the cabinet meeting. Technically, she didn't have to do any of it as she could leave all the heavy lifting to the Cabinet but as the new ruler of Arendelle, she wanted to do everything she could to be the best queen that she could be, and that meant getting involved in Cabinet meetings. And now, in the evening, it was time to face the cabinet again, which she felt resembled a circus more than an assembly of distinguished ministers.

"Something on your mind?"

Elsa turned to look at Frederick who was escorting her to the Council Chambers. "Oh. No, not really."

"Pardon my intrusion, Your Majesty, but you seem uneasy."

"You're very perceptive, Frederick."

"May I offer a little humble advice?"

"Of course." She came to a stop outside the large doors of the Council Chambers.

"Remember that you're in control in there. It makes things easier."

Elsa let herself smile a little. _Who better to give advice on authority than a senior officer in the Queen's Guard?_ "Thanks Frederick. I honestly don't know what I'll do without you."

"I shudder to wonder."

Elsa smiled at his slightly sardonic comment and immediately felt more at ease. The Senior Captain certainly had a knack for making her feel better about herself. Frederick opened the door for her and she walked in slowly with a confident posture and a dignified look on her face. The moment she made her entrance, the members of the Cabinet of Arendelle who were already standing in wait bowed deeply. "Good evening everyone. Please, be seated." Elsa took her own seat at the head of the long table, glancing around at the Cabinet as the ceremonial mace was put in place on the table by the Sergeant at Arms. The ceremonial mace represented the queen's royal authority, and no debate or laws could be made without its presence.

Present were the elected officials, each in charge of their own ministries that governed and upheld the kingdom of Arendelle. All the ministers from their various departments were seated at the table: the Ministry of Legislation, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Information, Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Social Services among others. They all held titles to their name. Some were counts, others viscounts and barons, but one thing they all had in common was that they all looked equally distinguished and prepared for the long evening ahead of them.

She cleared her throat. "Shall we begin with an update? Count Griffith?"

"Of course, Your Majesty." Count Griffith, the Minister of Information, was a short and round-faced man who constantly pushed up his spectacles to rest on the bridge of his oily nose. He looked through his stack of notes which were neatly organised in a file. "My men on the ground are reporting that most of the people are still having trouble adjusting to life after the earthquakes. The general consensus is that they feel that with more money provided and social services rendered-" he peered over the top of his spectacles disdainfully at the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Social Services across the table. "- they will definitely recover from this tragedy a lot quicker."

"That's absurd." Lord Nikolai, the Minister of Social Services said. "We are already pulling double shifts and my people are knee deep in projects to provide food and shelter for those who need it."

"I agree with Lord Nikolai." Lord Aksel, the Minister of Finance, said with an air of spite. "Our finances are already stretched thin in so many directions. Much of it is already invested in trying to repair the damage done during the earthquakes, and the rest of it is being spent on providing social services with the resources they need. Your Majesty," he turned to Elsa. "We are in desperate need of funding. Our accountants have hard proof that our finances have dipped drastically in the past two months since the earthquakes. Many of our once tradable goods are no longer available in abundance, and the prices of items have soared in the marketplace. No one can afford them, and our tax revenue has suffered a drastic drop. We can't do anything until the Ministry of Trade and Industry does its job."

"Lord Aksel, I'll retract that statement if I were you." Countess Hedda had a tone of danger in her voice. She was the Minister of Trade and Industry, and had a fiery disposition and attitude about her that rattled her opposition. "We've been doing everything we can, but how are we supposed to get our tradable goods from our usual suppliers up in the mountains? The roads leading up there have been utterly destroyed and no one's doing anything to construct an accessible path back to the farms. You haven't provided the basic finances for reconstruction."

"_We have_." Lord Aksel replied stiffly. "The Ministry of Social Services have already been supplied with a large portion of our funds."

"Sounds to me like you're accusing us of squandering our funds illegally." Lord Nikolai narrowed his eyes.

"Guilty conscience, eh?" Lord Aksel smirked.

"Alright, that's enough." Elsa said firmly. "Be civil."

She turned to Count Jakob, the Minister of Defence, in an attempt to steer the topic of discussion in a more favourable direction. "Colonel, how is the situation with your troops?"

"Honestly, Your Majesty, it's not looking good." Count Jakob was also a Colonel, the Commanding Officer of the Arendellian Infantry Brigade. "Much of our gunpowder and our artillery weapons were lost in the earthquakes as I brought up in the last meeting. We liaised with your department-" he stared coldly at Lord Aksel from the corner of his eye. "- for financial aid, but up till now, we still haven't received the funding we need for our weaponry."

The room exploded into shouts and began to look like the circus that Elsa had seen in her mind earlier. She placed her hand on her forehead and rested her elbow on the marble table. This was _not_ how things were supposed to go. In fact, this was not how _Royal Cabinet members_ were supposed to conduct themselves. They behaved more like rowdy school children than nobles. She groaned in exasperation and could feel her emotions slowly getting out of control. Quickly quelling her vexation, she suppressed her powers before they could manifest themselves and show the Cabinet members that she too was out of control.

"Silence!" she said with an air of authority, and the Council Chambers fell silent again in a split second at the command of their queen. She glanced round at the ministers and opened her mouth to speak. "I know things have been difficult ever since Chancellor Tobias revealed his true colours and acted against the interest of our kingdom. But I don't need _my_ ministers at each other's throats. I need you all to work together. Please."

The room remained silent, and she looked around at them before continuing. "Regarding the lack of finances, I will be leaving the resources of the royal family at your disposal." Elsa glanced at Lord Aksel. "Calculate how much the kingdom needs to get back on its feet, and have the legal documents drawn up and placed on my desk for signing as soon as possible."

The Minister of Finance nodded and scribbled furiously in his notebook.

She turned to Countess Hedda. "With regards to trade prices, the common folk are struggling to pay for basic necessities, right?"

The Minister of Trade and Industry nodded. "Your Majesty, if I may, here's what I suggest. Since we've already cut ties with Weselton after their duke's attempt to ahem-" she avoided eye contact with the queen awkwardly, "-assassinate you, we're going to need to expand our horizons. Reach out to other kingdoms and cities for our usual goods. However, this will probably mean higher prices."

"The royal family's wealth will have that covered for the time being. Take note, Lord Aksel." Elsa glanced at Lord Aksel, who continued scribbling furiously in his notebook.

"However," Countess Hedda continued. "This will also mean that the goods we sell to the common folk will have steeper prices. Steeper than they already are, that is. And frankly, that is going to be a problem."

"Drop the prices so that the people can afford them." Elsa said firmly.

"But, Your Majesty-"

"There's going to be a huge gap in the economy, I know." Elsa continued. "That's where I come in to fill in that gap. What's most important now is that we have a steady supply of goods coming in, and that the people are able to afford them. Otherwise, what is the point of being a wealthy kingdom while the people struggle to survive?"

"I understand, Your Majesty."

A knock came at the door, and it opened slowly. Elsa turned to look and saw Frederick gesturing to her that he had something important for her. She turned back to the ministers. "I think that's enough arguing for one day. Take a break and come back tomorrow and hopefully we can all get back on the same page. When we gather again in this room, I expect everyone to behave in a civilized manner. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." The ministers said in unison, getting up from their seats.

"Good. I have other pressing matters to attend to. Please excuse me." Elsa glanced around at the ministers one last time before heading for the door. Once outside and the door was shut securely behind her, she sighed deeply from the innermost parts of her being. Now she understood first hand the meaning of "heavy is the head that wears the crown".

"I gather that things didn't go the way you expected?" Frederick said as he patiently watched the queen slump against the wall.

"Not exactly." She straightened up. "What do you have for me?"

"A courier came with a letter that was marked as urgent. It was addressed to me, urging me to pass this message on to you." Frederick removed a letter from his military jacket and dusted it off before handing it to her. "I thought it would be better for you to see this for yourself."

"Thanks." Elsa took the letter from him. He had kept it smooth and uncreased, upholding his impeccable standards as usual. She opened the already unsealed envelope and removed the letter. "Dear Senior Captain Frederick Valquerson," she read. "This is the Warden of Stillcreek. Please bring to the attention of the queen that the prisoner has awoken from his coma, as Her Majesty had requested to be informed." Stillcreek was the prison where the most dangerous and notorious criminals were held, and that included the former Chancellor, Tobias.

After the "infiltration" back in the castle, Chancellor Tobias had fallen into a coma after being a victim at the hands of Maui the Demigod. Elsa had given orders that the Chancellor was to be moved to Stillcreek, the most secure prison in Arendelle, for immediate medical attention. Back in generations past, Stillcreek Fort used to be a stronghold that was used by the army to defend the kingdom, but as decades passed and war became nothing more than events in the history books, the fort was converted into a prison. In the present day, it was an ancient but spacious facility that was separated into a "supermax" capable of holding the most notorious criminals, and in a separate wing, it was used as a hospital for treating the prisoners that needed intensive care and medical help.

Elsa had questions that only Tobias was capable of answering, so she had told the Warden of Stillcreek to alert her immediately when Tobias had finally recovered from his injuries and awoken from his coma. She had been told that Tobias would wake up eventually, but the only question was when. Waiting around anxiously for two months was enough to drive her crazy, as it was constantly at the back of her mind gnawing at her like a rat nibbling on cheddar cheese.

"Finally." Elsa said, placing the letter back into the envelope.

"I assume that you're planning on going to Stillcreek now?" Frederick held out his hand to take the envelope from the queen, taking it and placing it back into his jacket delicately.

"Yes, of course." Elsa walked quickly down the hallway with Frederick in tow. "I've waited two months for him to wake up."

"I'll prepare the carriage and the escort then."

"Thanks, Frederick."

###

The horses neighed as they were reined to a harsh stop and the carriage wheels screeched violently and sounded like they were about to pop off the carriage at any moment. Sitting in the carriage with Elsa, Frederick straightened out his uniform which had been creased during the speedy journey across the kingdom, a look of disapproval on his face. "Pardon my saying so, Your Majesty, but it wasn't wise to rush here."

"Hmmn?" Elsa looked up, her mind obviously far away, preoccupied with more important things.

"Seeing the prisoner may be important, but your safety is my responsibility. I simply won't allow for this to happen again." He had a polite but firm tone which Elsa respected thoroughly.

"Of course. It's just that…this is really urgent to me. Sorry."

"No need to apologize," Frederick looked slightly unsettled. "But are you sure that you want to see the prisoner? As you've seen first hand, he's a very cunning and dangerous criminal."

"We do what we have to, Captain." Elsa was sure that she needed to talk to Tobias. "Besides, Stillcreek is as secure as it can get. We'll be safe."

"Again, that's my responsibility."

"Come on, let's go."

Frederick pushed open the carriage and helped Elsa down. The four soldiers escorting the carriage bowed to her and saluted their captain. Elsa waved away their formalities and looked up at the fortress towering before her. She had never been to Stillcreek before. Definitely not as a prisoner. The only time she had seen the inside of a cell was when she had been captured by Hans and brought back from the North Mountain to the castle.

The palace had a small prison that was well maintained, obviously meant to hold prisoners for a short time before they were transferred to a more permanent residence in the city jails or Stillcreek. She had broken out of her cell easily enough before Hans could lead her to execution, but she was sure that if she had been stuck in one of Stillcreek's cells, she wouldn't have had such an easy time escaping. Again, she was thankful that her people had chosen to accept her as their ruler, and not have her thrown into Stillcreek and branded as an evil sorceress. _One thing was sure_, she found herself thinking. _It certainly felt better to be visiting a prison than to be one of its inmates warming a cell._

Writer's Commentary:

I really enjoyed writing this one. We get a glimpse into the life of the queen, and how difficult it is to run a kingdom. The Cabinet Ministers are dreadful, aren't they? But there is some reality in their arguments. These are real problems we face in the world, and writing them really makes the story a lot more relatable, especially if you're in a position of authority like Elsa is. Even if you're not, on some level everyone can relate to Elsa. Insurmountable challenges, a million things to do, and feeling like you're ill-equipped to handle them.

Frederick, as usual, remains a stoic and unshakable character. I sort of modelled him after a couple of my favourite military figures from history and fiction. He's level-headed, loyal, and competent, and will prove useful to Anna and Elsa, aiding them in their missions whenever he can.

And now, Elsa is about to visit Tobias, the man behind the Referendum. We're about to delve into an intense interrogation where Elsa will learn something she cannot turn away from.


	6. Chapter 5: Stillcreek

Chapter Five

Stillcreek

**ELSA**

The large metal gates opened and Elsa was escorted into the stone-walled facility by Frederick and two of his corporals. She noted that her lavender dress was standing out starkly in contrast with the grey stone walls and the green military uniforms that the Queen's Guardsmen were wearing, painting her as a target in a prison, and she wished that she had changed into something duller before leaving the palace.

"Apologies, Your Majesty." Frederick's voice, though low, echoed across the stone walls and made the hairs on her neck stand. "In our haste, I forgot to send word to Princess Anna. With your permission, after this is over I will have a messenger fill Her Highness in on our visit and have her brought up to speed on what is about to transpire here."

"No!" Elsa hissed. "She doesn't know that I requested to be told about Tobias' condition. We have to keep her as far away from this as possible. Is that understood?"

He cocked an eyebrow. "Understood, Your Majesty. But if I may be so bold, dare I ask why?"

"Frederick, now isn't a good time to be discussing this. Maybe later."

"Of course, Your Majesty."

In truth, Elsa didn't want to talk about it at all, neither in the present nor after their visit. This was something that was personal to her, and she felt that it was best that she kept it to herself. Anna could not be let anywhere near this. It was her duty as the older sister to protect Anna from danger. She had failed at that, leaving Anna behind in Arendelle while she ventured off with the Warriors to save the world from Major Kane. In all the chaos, she hadn't realized what a big mistake she had made till she arrived back in Arendelle and found that her sister had been trapped in the castle with the fiend Tobias and his private squad of mercenaries.

She remembered being scared half to death for her sister, and would have done anything to get Anna back safe and sound. Fortunately, with the Warriors' help, she had managed to get past the sentries and break into the castle to save Anna. After everything had ended and the threat of Tobias was neutralized, the Warriors had disbanded and gone their separate ways. And it was a good thing too. Elsa had made herself a personal promise to remain in the kingdom to focus on being the Queen of Arendelle. With all her duties and her worries for Anna, she couldn't possibly be running around with the Warriors on new missions to save the world, so it was just as well that the alliance had been broken up.

After the entire debacle, she had requested that Frederick assign a detail from the Queen's Guard to watch over Anna and keep her safe. Anna had expressed her annoyance at being followed around everywhere and feeling suffocated but Elsa had insisted, wanting to keep her safe at all costs. She didn't really give much thought to Anna's preferences, as the priority was keeping her safe. No matter what, she couldn't risk Anna getting into danger again. First Prince Hans and then Chancellor Tobias, it had to stop there. Anna was the only family she had left, and she wasn't about to lose her sister. She couldn't. She simply wouldn't know how to go on without her.

The Warden, a weathered looking man, hurried out of his office to meet the queen. "Good evening, Your Majesty." He bowed hastily and acknowledged the presence of Captain Frederick and his corporals. "Welcome to Stillcreek."

"Thank you, Warden." Frederick said with authority in his voice. "Could you show us where Tobias is being held?"

"Certainly. Your Majesty, may I humbly request that you walk behind me? It is, after all, for your own safety." The Warden said.

Elsa nodded.

"Very well, this way then." The Warden led Elsa and her small entourage through various long and winding passageways that were dimly lit and narrow. "The medical practitioners determined that Tobias was in good health after he awoke from his coma, and I had the guards shift him to a more secure cell." He explained as they arrived at a rowdy section of the facility. "Stay close, Your Majesty. Please stay in the centre of the path and do not get too close to the doors, even though they are locked."

Elsa looked around at the steel doors that had rusted over, looking like they would break down at a mere shove or kick. The place sent shivers down her spine, and it wasn't from the cold.

"Here we are." The Warden stopped outside the door of an interrogation room. "We've placed him in the prisoner's side of the room. Don't worry, there's a sturdy set of bars between you and him. He can't get across unless he can bend iron."

"I would like to speak with him alone please." Elsa glanced back at Frederick.

"Absolutely not, Your Majesty," Frederick seemed appalled, which was rare. "I can't allow you to go in on your own."

"I'm going in alone. That's an order, Captain." She said firmly, knowing that she couldn't argue with the firm military man, and that the only way to get him to listen to reason was to issue him an order.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Frederick looked uncomfortable.

"I'll be fine. Besides, I have my powers to protect me if anything happens." The door opened for her and she walked inside, jumping slightly when the door clanged shut behind her with a resounding echo. The interrogation room was large, and like the rest of the prison, had stone walls and a high ceiling. There were dim light panels on the ceiling which didn't do much to illuminate the room, and Elsa felt creeped out.

She noted that like the Warden had said, there was a set of iron bars drilled into the ground in the middle of the room. At the opposite end of the room on the prisoner's side, there was another door that she guessed led back to a separate passageway where the prisoners would be brought back to their cells securely, away from the visitors.

"Welcome, Your Majesty."

Elsa jumped as she heard the low voice echo throughout the room, and only then did she spot the man dressed in prison grey, sitting in the shadows on a chair in the corner of the room.

"Chancellor Tobias." She walked up to the iron bars.

"Well, not anymore." Tobias carried his chair to the iron bars and sat down. "Thanks to you, it's just Inmate Tobias now." He sniggered at his own joke. "Don't mind if I sit while you stand, Your Majesty. You could say I'm still not exactly in the best of health after your friend-" he made a crushing noise. "-almost crippled me."

She sized the former chancellor up and down, noting that he seemed mostly recovered from his injuries and that he was probably just trying to get under her skin. However, she couldn't be bothered as she had more pressing concerns to worry about.

"Oh, and how does it feel to be on the opposite side of the bars? I know you spent some time in a cell a few months back." He asked casually.

Elsa ignored his question, determined to get answers out of the man. "You must be wondering why I'm here."

"Actually, no." He grinned at her. "I know why you wanted to come all the way from your cosy castle to this dark, cold, _wretched_ prison. A brave move, might I add."

"Alright then." Elsa folded her arms across her chest firmly, standing before Tobias. "Tell me, why am I here?"

"You want to know how I managed to take over Arendelle, don't you?"

"Yes." She stared into his eyes unflinchingly. "How did you do it?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Tobias-"

"Congratulations, by the way," Tobias interrupted.

Elsa knew that under normal circumstances, him being rude to the queen could result in a heavier sentence, or in a more extreme scenario, death, but she couldn't be bothered with the rules at this point in time. In fact, she knew she had no choice but to play Tobias' game if she wanted to get what she came for.

"I heard you gave a most _excellent _speech at the town square. I have to admit, I didn't think you had it in you. You always seemed like a quiet, awkward mouse."

"I-"

"The local news recorded a transcription of your speech." Tobias pulled out a crumpled piece of newspaper from the pocket of his prison trousers and it was evident that he had torn out the excerpt to keep it. He straightened it out and cleared his throat in a dramatic way, reading it with flair. "King Agnarr paved the way for Arendelle in its hardest years since his own coronation more than two decades ago, and established the Archbishop's legacy and presence in our present society." Pausing, he looked up from the paper and peered at Elsa, grinning curiously. "Ironic."

"If you're trying to get under my skin, I hate to disappoint you, but it's not working." Elsa kept her voice calm and her face unreadable, even though she was getting impatient. "Don't worry, I have all night."

"So do I, my dear queen." Tobias crumpled the paper and casually dropped it on the ground. "You really don't know much about your father's reign as king, do you?"

"Don't bring my father into this." Elsa warned coldly. "You know that I could have you executed for disrespecting the royal family right?"

"Yes, but you won't," Tobias leaned back in his chair calmly and crossed one leg on top of the other. "Because you need something from me, so that means you have to play by my rules… _Your Majesty_."

Elsa frowned. She hated the fact that Tobias held the winning cards, and that he knew it. Even though he was behind bars, he was somehow still in control. "How did you manage to pull it off?" she cut straight to the point, hoping that he would finally tell her. "Where did you find your private army?"

Tobias smiled. "Have you ever heard of the legend of the League of Sorcerers?"

"What does that have to d-"

"Answer the question, Your Majesty."

"Yes. Everyone's heard of that myth." Elsa, like every other child on the continent, had been told the myth of the League of Sorcerers when she was much younger.

"Tell me."

"Tobias, what-"

"Humour me."

Elsa sighed. "Long ago, a powerful sorcerer called the Pilgrim formed an alliance of special people who could control magic, and called it the League of Sorcerers. The Pilgrim's goal was simple: to maintain balance in the world and to execute justice where it was needed. For centuries, countless corrupt villages, civilizations and even kingdoms were vanquished from the earth by the League of Sorcerers. But in the centuries of their existence, no one ever saw them, for they struck quickly and vanished without a trace."

Tobias clapped slowly. "Very good."

"But it's just a myth." Elsa was confused as to what the relevance was. "It's just an old tale to scare children into being obedient to their parents lest the League of Sorcerers come for them."

"Oh, it's real. It's very real."

"Nonsense." Elsa said. "That's impossible. No one has ever seen them or have been able to confirm their existence."

"Have you ever considered that it's because no one has seen them and gotten out alive to tell anyone?"

Elsa was stumped. _That was a possibility._ "And how do _you_ know so much about them?"

"Because…" Tobias whispered, leaning closer to Elsa. "I was once a member of the League of Sorcerers."

"You're joking."

"Well, you asked me where I got my private army." He spread his arms and leaned back in his chair casually, as if dropping a bombshell like he had just done was all in a day's work.

"I don't believe you. You're lying."

"I can't help it if you don't believe me. You have your answer," Tobias shrugged nonchalantly. "Take it or leave it."

"Alright then, I'll humour you." Elsa narrowed her eyes. "If you really were a member of the League of Sorcerers, then how did you end up here in Arendelle? Haven't you been a resident of Arendelle for at least the past two decades?"

"Sorcerers that lose their powers for whatever reason are discharged from the League." Tobias answered. "I lost mine in a battle long ago, and wound up here in Arendelle. But that doesn't mean that I've lost touch with the League. The League of Sorcerers is made up of a vast network, and has many resources. You've met Prometheus, yes?"

Elsa nodded. The mysterious man who wore the hood and mask had gotten away from her and she hadn't seen him since.

"After the referendum, I was out of options thanks to the wretched citizens of Arendelle. In desperation, I turned to the Pilgrim, who authorized Prometheus to lend his help in my campaign to claim the throne."

"And that's where you got your private army?"

"Not mine. Prometheus commands the Knights of Vengeance. It's a subsidiary unit of the League of Sorcerers. Think of it as a separate squad of highly trained mercenaries that can take down entire civilizations and you wouldn't even know they were there."

"If the League is real and it's been kept a secret for so long, why are you telling me?"

"Well, you asked, didn't you?" he shrugged. "And besides, what do I have to lose? I'm already stuck in here for the rest of my days."

Elsa stepped back. "This is all a bit too much to be true."

"You have powers," Tobias countered. "You of all people shouldn't find it _that_ hard to believe."

There was a bout of eerie silence, with Elsa contemplating what she had just learnt and Tobias grinning at her in amusement. She finally broke the silence. _There was one more question that needed answering._ "Back in the palace," Elsa started. "You called me one of the Elemental Sorcerers. Do you remember? What does that mean?"

"You really have no clue what you are, do you?" Tobias shook his head as if to say that it was a shame. "So much power, and all you want to do is play queen when you could be ruling the entire world."

"Stop speaking in riddles." Elsa was starting to show her exasperation.

"There are hierarchies in the League. There are the normal sorcerers that can harness magic and cast spells, then there are those with more unique powers like casting illusions, reading minds and disappearing at will, among many others. And finally, there are the extremely rare breed of Elemental Sorcerers, who are the most feared because they are the most powerful." Tobias explained. "All this while you've been hiding your powers from the world, afraid that people would brand you a monster and cast you out, when you've had the ability to destroy them all without breaking a single sweat."

Elsa was horrified at that last statement. "I would _never _do that."

"Maybe not yet." Tobias let out an ominous chuckle.

Elsa ignored his final comment and considered the rest. _It really did sound a little too flaky to be true. _

"Since you don't believe me, you might want to see it for yourself." Tobias continued, almost as if he had read her mind. "I hear that the Pilgrim is looking for something in the outskirts of Arendelle and that Prometheus is leading the Knights of Vengeance to raid the farmhouses beyond the hills tonight." He smiled again. "Of course, I could be just making it all up to set you on a wild goose chase and you could choose to ignore me. But then what if I'm not, and Prometheus is in Arendelle tonight? Will you really be willing to pass up the opportunity to catch him?"

Tobias certainly knew how to manipulate her, she had to give him that."We're done here." Elsa turned her back and walked towards the door.

"Good evening, Your Majesty." Tobias called out after her loudly. "Always a pleasure talking to you."

Elsa ignored him and as the door opened for her, she walked out of the interrogation room quickly, glad to be out of the presence of the enigmatic Tobias.

"Your Majesty, are you alright?" Frederick asked.

"Yes, Frederick. I'm fine. Thanks for asking." Elsa replied absentmindedly, thinking about the conversation she had just had with Tobias as she was being escorted out the way she came in. Tobias had answered all of her questions, but they were definitely not the answers she had been expecting. She didn't know what to make of it at all.

_The League of Sorcerers. The Knights of Vengeance. The Pilgrim._ These myths all seemed a bit too surreal to be true, but Tobias had brought up a very valid point. She had powers, so why was she finding it so hard to believe that these things were true and they really did exist? But if they did, then the world had just gotten a whole lot bigger. She had thought that the threat of Major Kane had exposed her to the bigger world outside of Arendelle but maybe even that wasn't all there was. Maybe the world was much bigger than she knew it to be. The thought that the world of magic and threats were bigger than just Major Kane and his snake totem made her feel uncomfortable.

And what Tobias had said about the raid that was going to take place. It was too good an opportunity to pass up. Maybe she could catch Prometheus in the act and finally subdue the elusive mercenary and unmask him. If she could catch him, she could potentially make him talk and see if what he said matched up with what Tobias had told her. Maybe he was just a random mercenary that Tobias had hired, and the League didn't actually exist. Or maybe the League actually did exist and all of it was true. Right there as she reached the entrance of Stillcreek, Elsa made up her mind that she would travel to the outskirts of the kingdom that very moment to investigate and find out if what Tobias had told her was true.

"Where to now, Your Majesty? Back to the castle?" Frederick asked.

Elsa looked at the hills which were a short distance away from Stillcreek. They were already at the far edge of Arendelle, so it wouldn't be a long journey if she went on foot. Give or take ten minutes. The top of the many hills was where the farmhouses were perched on. It was already dark, and she realized that she had spent so long in the prison talking to Tobias that she hadn't noticed that it was getting late. If Prometheus was going to strike, he could be doing it anytime now, and if the League of Sorcerers was real and she was going to get Prometheus to tell her everything, the soldiers couldn't be allowed to be around to hear it._ No one's ready for this. _

"Not yet," Elsa said. "I want you to take the carriage and your soldiers back to the palace and call it a night."

"I'm sorry?" Frederick blinked.

"You heard me, Frederick."

"There's no way I'm leaving you out here all alone in the dark. It's my job to keep you safe." The Captain insisted.

"Frederick, I don't know if you've noticed, but I went on a journey around the world to help stop a warlord from destroying the world, and when I returned, I played a part in the rescue of my sister and the Cabinet." Elsa said matter-of-factly. "I have my powers to protect me. Now, take your soldiers back to the palace and call it a night. It's not a request, Captain."

Frederick hesitated for a long while, and it was obvious that he wanted to say something back in protest, but instead he bowed. "Yes, Your Majesty. Please return safely."

"I will." Elsa began her walk towards the mountains. _This was something she was going to have to do alone. _

Writer's Commentary:

The prison sounds horrid, doesn't it? In writing Stillcreek, I took inspiration from Arkham Asylum, and incorporated several aspects of its architecture and overall feel and look into my own fictional prison. Also, this chapter is bit more expositional in nature, as Tobias has to show Elsa that the world is much bigger than she knows it to be.

Elsa thinks that Major Kane and his quest is as big as it gets, but no, she's in for a surprise. The League of Sorcerers is real? I guess we'll find out together with Elsa. She's about to embark on a journey which takes her down a completely new path.


	7. Chapter 6: The Augbine Herbs

Chapter Six

The Augbine Herbs

**ELSA**

The Snow Queen trekked up the hill in a light blue top with black leggings and light blue boots. She had decided to ditch her lavender dress and kitten heels in favour of a more practical outfit for the task she was undertaking, and had created a new outfit for herself. Though it was something that a queen would never really wear in public due to its casual and common appearance, it was perfectly functional and necessary for a time like this.

Elsa glanced back over her shoulder. Night had already fallen, and all she could see were the lights coming from the kingdom. Stillcreek, the castle and the town all seemed so far below her. The sheer height of the elevation made her quickly turn her focus back to the track in front of her. She had just passed the many clustered houses that had been rebuilt on the hills in a straight line, and was soon coming to the top of the hill where she could lie in wait for Prometheus.

_Countess Hedda was right_, Elsa mused. _How was anyone supposed to deliver tradable goods from the farms to the town below?_ The roads that led through the hills had been badly damaged during the earthquakes, and loose parts of the roads that were at the precipice of the hills had disintegrated and fallen away completely, making it almost impossible for carts and horses to pass by. Elsa had to physically create ice to fill in the gaps of the roads so that she could walk safely without falling off the precipice due to the still crumbling debris. It also didn't help that a landslide of rocks, tree fragments and soil blocked off the path.

Finally arriving at the top of the hill, Elsa surveyed the land before her. At the plateau she was on, there was one large farmhouse with a barn that seemed to have been left untouched by the earthquakes. On the other side of the hill further away from where she came from was a tributary leading down to a river that passed through a valley. A small population of farmers resided there in the valley which still fell within the limits of the kingdom. _Maybe I should stake out the large farmhouse first, _Elsa thought as she observed the exterior of the house.The lights were out and it appeared to be empty and abandoned from the outside, so probably no one had lived there in years.

Pushing the door gently, Elsa entered the farmhouse cautiously, and there was a loud creak as the door swung on its hinges, which made her wince. She knew she was supposed to be discreet, but she had just given away her position like a rank amateur. Walking on the old wooden boards that covered the floor of the house, Elsa was glad that she had traded in her kitten heels for boots that absorbed impact and made lesser noise. At least any potential enemies wouldn't be able to estimate her location in the house even though she had just eliminated her element of surprise when she had opened the door. Searching the kitchen and the hall, Elsa found nothing and decided to explore the second level.

She tested her weight on the first step of the old staircase, and was relieved to find that it didn't break beneath her feet. She was a far cry from being heavy, but one could never be too sure in an old house which had been abandoned for years. Climbing the stairs slowly and carefully, she arrived at the top to the landing of the second floor. _Wait, what was that?_ She could hear something that sounded like…_muffled shouts!_

Quietly, Elsa made her way towards the room where the sounds were coming from, and poised herself for a confrontation. She burst through the door, palms pointed away from herself at whatever potential enemies were waiting for her in the room. However, there was no one in the room except for a woman in the corner, bound to a chair with a handkerchief tied around her mouth. The woman's eyes grew wide as saucers as she saw Elsa standing in the doorway.

"Hold on." Elsa hurried over to the woman, untying the handkerchief from around her mouth and loosening the sturdy ropes that bound the captive. "There." She finished and stood up, facing the woman.

"Thank you." The woman gasped gratefully in a rough voice, reaching out and holding Elsa's hands in her own. "I thought I was going to be stuck here forever."

Elsa looked at the woman. She was thin and lanky with green deep set eyes. There were wrinkles on her slightly faded porcelain skin and Elsa made a rough guess that she was in her mid fifties. The woman also had a sharp nose and thin cracked lips that were pale and faded of colour. _Who was this captive?_ "

Who are you?" Elsa asked.

"My name is Ingrid Grendstav." She replied. "Who are you? Are you with him?" she had a fearful look on her face.

"Him? What-no. My name is Elsa." Elsa introduced herself. It wasn't often that someone didn't know who she was, as almost everyone across the continent knew the story of the queen who froze her own kingdom, and in a way, it was refreshing that Ingrid didn't know who she was, so that she could be free of predefined first impressions.

"Elsa? As in Queen Elsa of Arendelle?"

Elsa nodded. Apparently even her name and reputation preceded her.

Oh- Your Majesty!" Ingrid got off her chair and hastily bowed before Elsa. "My apologies, Your Majesty. I didn't know."

"That-that's alright. Please, stand." Elsa helped Ingrid to her feet, as she still looked weak after being tied to a chair for who knew how long. "You mentioned a 'him'? Who? And what are you doing here? Where did you come from?"

"I don't even know how I got here." Ingrid looked out of the window. "Where am I?"

"You're in the outskirts of Arendelle." Elsa told her. "You're not from Arendelle, I presume."

"No, Your Majesty. I am not." Ingrid turned back to her rescuer. "I come from a land far northwest from here."

"How did you end up here?"

"I was in a race against time, trying to find the Augbine Herbs that are native to your kingdom's farms before my pursuers did."

"The Augbine Herbs." Elsa frowned. They were an extremely rare species that only Arendellians and very few other civilizations grew for medicinal purposes. "Why were you trying to get the Herbs? And who's chasing you?"

"The League of Sorcerers."

The name of the myth sent a chill down Elsa's spine. "The-the League is real?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. They are very real, and they're here in Arendelle tonight for the Augbine Herbs."

"What do they want with the Augbine Herbs?"

"I don't know, Your Majesty." Ingrid replied. "I was trying to get to the farms below before they did-" she nodded at the valley outside the window. "-but then a man dressed in black with a hood took me by surprise, and he brought me here."

"Did the man in the hood wear a mask and carry weapons?"

"Yes," Ingrid looked surprised. "How did you know?"

Elsa pursed her lips. _Prometheus. He was here in Arendelle. _"How long ago was he here?" she asked hopefully.

"Not more than ten minutes ago I think. I thought he was going to kill me, but then he warned me that he was coming back for me afterward, and then vanished without a trace."

_That's him_, Elsa confirmed to herself. Prometheus had vanished into thin air after escaping the Council Chambers when she had confronted him two months ago.

"Your Majesty, please, we have to get out of here." There was a sense of urgency in Ingrid's voice, and Elsa detected panic. "Before the man in the hood comes back."

"Of course. Don't worry, I'll keep you safe." Elsa assured the woman and helped her out of the room and down the stairs. Arriving outside the farmhouse, Ingrid walked towards the steep edge that led down to the valley with Elsa in tow.

"The man in the hood, he's got to be down there by now." Ingrid pointed at the valley. "You can't let them get the herb for the Pilgrim."

"The Pilgrim's real too?" Elsa couldn't believe what she was hearing. _And here she thought it was all just a fantasy, a myth that was conjured up to scare children. _

"Yes, the League is getting the Augbine Herbs for the Pilgrim." Ingrid explained hurriedly with a hint of impatience in her voice, though she tried hard to hide it in the presence of her royal companion. "That's why I followed them, hoping to make sure that the Herbs stays out of the League's hands."

"How do you know so much about the League?" Elsa asked.

"I have a man on the inside. I've spent the past two years trying to foil their plans and stay one step ahead of the League and the Pilgrim, and I'll continue to do it even if it means I might die trying." Ingrid looked at Elsa with pleading eyes. "Please, Your Majesty. I need your help to stop them. I can't do it alone. Not with the Knights of Vengeance down there tonight. There's too many of them." She pointed at the valley and Elsa could make out some vague movements, likely from the mercenaries that Ingrid was talking about.

Elsa nodded. "How can I help?"

"Thank you!" Ingrid gasped in gratitude. "But we're running out of time. We need to get down there and stop the League from getting the Herbs before it's too late!"

"Hold on." Elsa said firmly. "_I'll _go. You stay here."

"But-"

"Ingrid, please stay here. I have my powers to keep myself safe. You don't." Elsa didn't want to say it to her face, but Ingrid seemed so fragile and past her prime that Elsa felt uneasy imagining the woman in a lone war against the League. How had she managed to keep it up for so long? Ingrid had to be tougher than she looked, but Elsa wasn't going to risk anyone's life when she knew that she could probably handle it by herself. After all, she had her powers to protect her.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you. But please, be careful." Ingrid implored.

"I will." Elsa assured her, and looked at the tributary that washed down into a river by the valley. There was only one way to get down to the valley quickly, and it certainly didn't involve tumbling down the steep side of the hill. She aimed her hands at the tributary, and the stream of water froze over, causing the water leading downstream to freeze as well, creating a sturdy and smooth slope of ice. That way, she wouldn't have to slowly inch her way down the steep and rocky hill with the possibility that she would miss her footing and end up at the bottom of the hill with a broken ankle.

Testing her weight on the slide of ice, Elsa found it stable. She pushed herself off from the top of the hill with her right foot, and slid down the descending frozen tributary towards the valley where the League's mercenaries were. As she neared the bottom of the stream which started to widen into a river, she gingerly hopped off the ice onto the grass beside her. It would be best to go the rest of the way on foot, in case one of the invaders spotted her. _Honestly, it felt strange doing the whole hero act without the warriors._ It'd been some time since she had gotten herself back into the middle of the action, and in an unexplainable way, she missed the feeling of adrenaline that coursed through her body before a fierce battle, like the one she had when she fought Major Kane on board the Hanedale.

"What I wouldn't give for some of Melody's tactical advice right now." Elsa found herself wondering, realizing that although she missed the action, she didn't have the first clue about how to stop the mercenaries which clearly outnumbered her. As she neared the small village, she could see a translucent mist-like substance dissipating into the atmosphere, and concluded that it had to be some gas dispersed by the League. The mercenaries were nearby, and she popped behind a large tree and knelt down, observing them silently from among the grass. They were dressed in black like the ones in the castle back during the invasion. These had to be the Knights of Vengeance that Ingrid had told her about. _So where was Prometheus?_ Just as she was wondering about the mysterious man, he walked up to the squad of Knights which were gathered, awaiting orders from their commander. She noted that he was carrying a quiver of arrows on his back and a black bow in his hand instead of the sword he had carried the previous time.

"The villagers are all out cold from the gas." She could hear the deep, mechanical voice of Prometheus being carried through the silent, cold night air. "Scour the village, find the Herbs. You have ten minutes."

_She had the Knights of Vengeance and Prometheus all in one place. It was now or never._ Elsa stepped out from behind the tree, and quickly slammed her foot against the ground. Spikes of ice rose from the ground, travelling towards the squad and throwing the Knights off balance. Instinctively, Prometheus moved out of the way before the ice could strike him, and Elsa could have sworn that he had inhumane, enhanced reflexes. Nevertheless, with the Knights floored and caught off guard, she would have to seize the advantage. She aimed at the ground, and ice materialized to trap the Knights in blocks of ice that encased them completely. Again, Prometheus evaded her ice expertly, vanishing behind one of the houses.

There wasn't any way that the Knights could escape her ice any time soon, so she decided to leave them behind while she pursued Prometheus. Elsa hurriedly ran past them and looked behind the house where Prometheus had hidden himself. _He wasn't there._ After checking inside the house, she walked slowly towards the next house, aware that he could attack her at any moment. Her hands hovered at waist level as her eyes darted around, looking for the elusive man in the hood. _Where had he gone? _

Suddenly, she felt a dead weight drop on top of her, and she found herself pinned to the mud, unable to get up.

"Should have cleared the rooftops." Prometheus pressed his weight against her, pushing her deeper into the mud. "What are you doing so far from your castle?"

"I've come to stop you." She said as she tried to keep her face out of the mud.

"And how's that working out?"

Elsa could imagine the man smirking behind the mask. She reached out with her right hand to grab Prometheus' leg, and he immediately disengaged from her, as if he instinctively knew that she was attempting to freeze his leg. Pushing herself up from the mud quickly, Elsa spun round to face her adversary. _I have to strike before he does. _

She quickly used a rapid burst of ice shards that knocked the bow out of Prometheus' hand. Before he could reach for it, she froze him to the ground, bringing a solid block of ice around the man completely, trapping him inside a giant icicle. Exhaling, Elsa stepped back. She had learnt a thing or two during her adventure with the warriors. Back on the Hanedale, she had caught Major Kane off guard and froze him in a solid block of ice, and here she was doing it again.

Prometheus wasn't a magic wielder like Major Kane was, so the ice would at least hold him for a little while longer while she secured the Herbs. Leaving Prometheus trapped in the ice, she ran through the various plantations, eyes scanning for the rare crop. Some of the villagers and farmers that were outside when the League attacked were still lying on the ground, unconscious from the gas attack.

Going through fields after fields of crops, she finally stopped when she spotted a short row of magenta coloured plants. Inching closer, she knelt down and examined the plants. _The Augbine Herbs._ Delicately, she plucked all of the herbs from their roots, which weren't many, careful not to damage the other plants surrounding the rare herbs.

"Sorry." She whispered, glancing at the unconscious farmer that lay outside his field of crops. Quickly, she made her way back the way she came, with the rare herbs in her hand. Elsa slowed down as she approached where she had left Prometheus. She couldn't let the Herbs fall into the hands of the League, as the Pilgrim wanted it for his own nefarious purposes, whatever they were.

Alas, when she reached the spot where Prometheus had been frozen, she was dismayed and shocked to find that he was no longer there! The solid block of ice had been shattered and the melting fragments of ice were strewn all over the soil, seeping into the ground. Clutching the Herbs a little tighter in her hand, Elsa ran past the shattered ice back to where she had left the trapped Knights, only to find them gone without a trace as well.

She looked around at the trail of boot prints, but they disappeared the moment they led to a dense plot of grass. Elsa frowned. These mercenaries were smart. They had intentionally cut through thick grass so as not to leave any trace as to where they were fleeing to. The trail had gone cold. Even though she couldn't detain Prometheus to question him about the League, at least she had kept the Augbine Herbs out of the clutches of the League. Heading back up the hill, she reunited with Ingrid, who was anxiously waiting for her.

"Thank goodness you're back!" Ingrid said in relief, helping Elsa up the last part of the hill. "I thought that the man in the hood had killed you. I would never be able to forgive myself."

"I'm not that easy to get rid of." Elsa smiled, opening her palm.

Ingrid reached out for the Herbs, before hesitating, remembering who she was with. "Your Majesty, may I?"

"Of course." Elsa graciously extended her hand, giving the Herbs to Ingrid.

"What a relief. I can't imagine what would have happened if the League brought this back to the Pilgrim. Who knows what the Pilgrim might do with them?" Ingrid placed the Augbine Herbs carefully into a small vial, and kept it in a bag slung over her shoulder. "We dealt a critical blow to them tonight, and this is no doubt a major setback for them." She looked at Elsa gratefully. "Thank you, Your Majesty. I couldn't have done this without you."

"You're welcome." Elsa smiled. "And please, call me Elsa."

"Elsa," Ingrid took her hands in her own. "I need your help. I can't do this alone. Join me in stopping the League of Sorcerers."

"Ingrid, I'm not sure I can do that," Elsa blinked. "I do have my duties as queen, you know."

"Yes, yes, of course, I understand." Ingrid replied hurriedly. "But please, do consider my offer. With your help, we could bring an end to them permanently."

"Ingrid, I would love to help you, but I really have too many things on my plate." Elsa said truthfully. "Maybe there's someone else you could call to help you? I do have friends who are experienced at dealing with these sort of things."

"You're talking about the friends who helped to stop the earthquakes?"

"Yes…How did you know?"

"It's common knowledge these days. Everyone's heard of the unknown group of unsung heroes who stopped the world's end. Almost as much as the myth of the League of Sorcerers."

"I'm not sure our fame extends that far. But look," Elsa said reassuringly. "I can get in contact with them, and they'll be able to help."

"With all due respect, Elsa," Ingrid looked extremely serious. "I don't think your friends are ready to handle something like this. The League of Sorcerers is far more dangerous than they could possibly be prepared to go up against. I need an experienced magic wielder. Like yourself."

Elsa sighed. "I-I don't know."

"Have you ever felt like there was more to your life? More than just being the ruler of a kingdom? You have such power within your grasp and you don't know what to do with it? Like there's a higher calling for you out there?" Ingrid asked, her words sharp and accurate.

Elsa bit her lip. Ingrid was extremely perceptive. That was almost _exactly_ how she had been feeling for the longest time, even before she had become Queen of Arendelle. She had been asking herself those questions, constantly feeling like she had a greater purpose to fulfil in her life. And for the first time, she had that sense of fulfilment when she had joined up with the Warriors and embarked on a journey that was greater than herself. Stopping Major Kane was the biggest thing she had ever done in her life, and a part of her missed that, even though she had made a promise to herself to remain in Arendelle to protect her sister. It felt like she was being torn apart, between wanting to be a part of something greater and being present to watch over Anna and continue ruling as a benevolent queen.

"Look, Elsa," Ingrid smiled warmly. "I'm not forcing you to help me. Take some time to think it over. I know for a fact that the League is going to try to get the Augbine Herbs again, this time from a city west of here. You know where the city of Opalle is?"

Elsa nodded. She knew of the bustling city, located not too far from Arendelle. It was about two hours journey on horseback.

"If you decide to help me, please meet me at the shore of Opalle tomorrow night. The League only strikes at night, and they'll most likely reappear tomorrow." Ingrid continued, drawing up a grey shawl around her shoulders. "I'll send you a messenger when I have more details. I hope to see you then."

"I'll…think about it."

"Goodnight, Elsa."

"Wait," Elsa called out as Ingrid began to walk away. "Where will you stay?"

"Don't worry about me. I rented accommodations for myself on my journey here." Ingrid said as she walked down the hill and out of sight.

Arriving back at the castle, Elsa quietly walked through the entrance. The castle was quiet, as everyone had likely gone to bed by this time. She had not noticed that since she had departed from Stillcreek, hours had flown by and it was already past midnight. Careful not to trail mud across the floor which had been meticulously cleaned by the palace staff, she wiped the soles of her boots on a mat placed at the entrance. No one knew that she had just been a part of a dangerous adventure, and she hoped to keep it that way. The citizens of Arendelle needn't know that their queen was moonlighting as a vigilante.

As she walked up the stairs and headed down the hallway of the North Wing, Elsa turned the corner and bumped into Anna, who was holding a plate of cake in her hand.

Writer's Commentary:

Finally, Elsa gets to see some action again. It's a welcome break from her political duties, but is it really something she wants to do? When writing this chapter, I had to do my due diligence to create a whole new environment in the aftermath of Major Kane's earthquakes. It wasn't easy, as describing geography certainly isn't my forte.

Also, Elsa meets a new ally in this chapter. Stick around, Ingrid is an interesting character who will prove pivotal in Elsa's arc for this story. She will help Elsa become who she needs to be in the world of sorcery, evil and danger.

And not to worry, for those of you who are wondering if this story is just solely focused on the Frozen characters. The rest of the Warriors will be showing up soon. But for now, the question is: will Elsa heed the call and venture _into the unknown?_


	8. Chapter 7: A Higher Calling

Chapter Seven

A Higher Calling

**ANNA**

"Elsa!" Anna steadied herself, relieved that she had not dropped her generous helping of chocolate cheesecake. "What are you doing up so late?"

"I could ask you the same, you know." Elsa used her older sister voice in an attempt to hide her anxiety of being caught. "Isn't it a bit late to be eating cake at this hour?"

"I couldn't sleep," Anna said as she stuffed a portion of cake into her mouth. "And I felt hungry, so I got myself a midnight snack from the kitchen. Where have you been?" She pointed at her sister's clothes.

Elsa looked down. She hadn't noticed that her top and leggings were covered in mud as well! "I-I went for a walk in the fields." She stammered a quick excuse and placed her hands behind her back, trying to look as regal and composed as she could manage.

"At this hour?" Anna swallowed the cake in her mouth. "Since when do you go on walks at a timing like this? Did you fall down or something?"

"I just needed a change of scenery." Elsa belted out yet another flimsy excuse.

"Like with the Warriors?" Anna probed.

"What? No, that's not it." _At least this part was true._ "I haven't been in contact with them for months. The Warriors disbanded after what happened here. You know that."

"Yeah, but you guys could have reunited." Anna put her plate down on a table nearby, and folded her arms. "Is that it?"

"No, Anna."

"Then what? And don't tell me you went for a walk. That's gotta be the lamest thing I've heard all week."

Elsa bit her lip tightly.

"You left the castle for hours and come back sweaty, hair in a mess, and your clothes caked in mud. You know what that sounds like? A mission with the Warriors."

"That's not what happened."

"You know I want to be a part of your adventures. You promised that we'll do things together, remember?"

"Yes, but-"

"But?"

"That's not it, Anna. I wasn't with the Warriors, I swear."

"Then what happened?"

"I-" Elsa sighed. "It's late and I'm tired. Maybe we'll talk about it in the morning. Goodnight, Anna." She hurriedly walked past her sister before she could say another word.

Anna stood in the hallway, watching as her sister walked away to her bedroom down the hall, and exhaled. She picked up her plate of cake and suddenly, she no longer felt hungry. Leaving the cake on the table for the staff to clear in the morning, she trudged back to her room. The door beside hers opened, and Kristoff poked his head out.

"Everything okay?" _Obviously, he had heard the commotion outside his door. _

"Nope." Anna slumped against her own door as Kristoff came out of his room in his night clothes. "It's Elsa."

"What about her?" Kristoff rubbed his eyes in an attempt to shake the sleepiness.

"She's hiding something." Anna frowned. "It's pretty obvious."

"Like what?"

"She just got back, her clothes all muddy and she was dressed like she was just part of a mission with the Warriors."

"The _Warriors_?" Kristoff laughed. "Those guys?"

"You've met them."

"Exactly. They're a shady bunch. I mean, do you remember what the big guy with the long hair did to the ex-Chancellor?"

"It was an accident."

"You sure?"

"Yeah," Anna said. "And I think that Elsa's off with them on some secret mission again."

"I thought the Warriors all went their separate ways months ago."

"Yeah. And I'm pretty sure they're back at it again, along with Elsa."

"And that's what's got you ruffled?"

"Yeah, she's keeping secrets from me again! I thought we were past that."

"Some things never change. You have to accept that."

"I don't know if I can." Anna replied, and in that moment she felt like pouring out her thoughts to him. "It's just…I thought having my sister finally letting me into her life was more than enough. But then when she left with the Warriors on an adventure, I found myself envying her. That's when I realized that I wasn't content with my life. Not yet."

"Anna, I know you. You'll always be unsatisfied with the status quo," Kristoff said. "But you have to learn to enjoy what you have. Treasure the present, like I am. Look at me, I'm running a successful ice cream business in Arendelle, and am together with the most beautiful girl in the world."

Anna rolled her eyes at that last bit.

"You gotta find something in the present to be content with."

"I don't know…"

Kristoff yawned. "It's late, Anna. Go to bed, and we'll talk about it again in the morning." He trudged back into his room wearily and closed the door.

Anna frowned. That reasoning might have worked for Kristoff, but it certainly didn't for her. Kristoff was someone who was satisfied with things remaining the same, but she wanted more out of life. There was a higher calling out there for her. And that was being on adventures with Elsa and the rest of the Warriors. However, Elsa was denying her involvement with the Warriors, but even if that were true, there was still something that she was hiding. Something was definitely not right, and Anna was determined to pry the truth out of her sister.

**ELSA**

"I still strongly object. I won't have my soldiers wasting their time marching out into the forested terrains for training without sufficient equipment!" Count Jakob shouted across the table, glaring at Lord Aksel.

"Colonel, I don't know how I can possibly make this any clearer for you. For the last time, I am still working on securing the funds to supply you with the weaponry you need!" Lord Aksel spat back, evidently fresh out of patience.

Clothed in a dark green off the shoulder dress, Elsa sat at the head of the table while the ministers continued to engage in a heated showdown with one another. The situation was no different as compared to the day before, but Elsa had bigger and more important things on her mind that afternoon. Though she was physically present in the Council Chambers, her mind was far away, thinking of the League of Sorcerers and everything that had transpired the day before.

_So Chancellor Tobias wasn't lying after all, who would have guessed?_ She had been skeptical, but her encounter with Ingrid had cemented the truth. The woman she had rescued had lived to confirm the existence of the League and the Pilgrim, and what Tobias had told her lined up with what she had learnt from Ingrid, so they both had to be telling the truth. Unless they were both in on a long con together, but that was highly unlikely.

However, one thing was bugging her. Prometheus had gotten away from her. _Again._ There was something strange about the hooded man that made Elsa feel unsettled. She could have another shot at taking down Prometheus and getting one step closer to the League and the Pilgrim, but that meant accepting Ingrid's offer to join her in her personal mission to expose and destroy the mythical League of Sorcerers. It felt strange, being extended an opportunity casually like that, but Elsa figured that at this point, Ingrid was desperate. After all, it sounded like Ingrid had been doing things on her own for the longest time, even if she wasn't coping well. She couldn't bear the thought of the frail Ingrid going up against the formidable League of Sorcerers alone. Ingrid could been killed by Prometheus the night before, and Elsa couldn't have her death on her conscience if she didn't agree to help her.

However, joining Ingrid on her quest would mean leaving Arendelle behind, for who knew how long. _Was that really a risk that she was willing to take? That would also mean leaving Anna behind unprotected!_ That offer suddenly seemed a lot less attractive to Elsa. Then again, Ingrid had said something that resonated with her deep inside. She had been given powers for a reason, and all her life, Elsa had always felt like she was meant to be more than just the ruler of Arendelle. Her time with the warriors felt like a taste of the bigger world waiting for her, and now there was a higher calling for her out there just waiting to be answered, and this was her chance to step out into the unknown and embrace it.

"Your Majesty, are you alright?"

Elsa blinked, and finally noticed the Ministers of the Cabinet staring at her, and she was unsure if a question had been directed at her prior to this. "I-I'm fine." She stood up. "Please carry on without me. I'm sorry, but I have something urgent that I just remembered I needed to attend to. Please excuse me." She walked out of the Council Chambers and was escorted back to her room by Captain Frederick.

"Pardon me for saying so, Your Majesty, but you seem distracted since this morning. Are you sure you're alright after last night's meeting with Tobias?" Frederick asked.

"It's- it's not about Tobias." Elsa replied, her mind still drifting.

"Did he upset you?"

Elsa shook her head.

"Your Majesty, after we left Stillcreek, you said you had something you needed to do alone. Is that what's been bothering you?"

"Frederick," she stopped and turned around sharply to look at her personal guard as they arrived outside her bedroom. "I'm fine, really. But thanks for asking. I think I just need some time alone before dinner to think."

"Of course, Your Majesty." Frederick bowed. "I'll be outside if you need anything."

"Thanks." Smiling at Frederick, she entered her room and shut it behind her. Exhaling, she crashed onto her bed. She wasn't tired. How could she be? Although she had felt drained after her adventure in the outskirts of Arendelle, there was too much racing through her mind for her to sleep in peace.

Placing her arm across her forehead, Elsa stared up at the ceiling. She didn't have to fully commit to Ingrid's quest, now did she? She could just help her out one more time, and see where that took her from there. And then there was Anna to worry about. Her sister was already on to her. She had to be extra careful to avoid Anna on her way out later that evening. After what seemed like hours of mulling over her choices, there was a sturdy knock on the door.

"Come in!" Elsa called out, sitting up abruptly from her bed.

The door opened and Frederick walked in cautiously with an envelope in hand. "Your Majesty, there's a letter addressed to you. Normally, I know that letters aren't written directly to the royals, but in this case, it seemed quite urgent-"

"It's fine, Frederick." She took the envelope from Frederick and opened it, unfolding the letter.

"_Eight in the evening. Shore of Opalle. Hope to see you tonight." _The letter was written in cursive, immaculate handwriting and Elsa guessed that it could only be the woman she had met the night before. If she was going to reach Opalle by eight, she needed to leave soon, as the journey would take her roughly two hours on horseback.

"Is there anything I should be concerned about?"

Elsa looked up from the letter at Frederick. "Uhh, no. I just need to head out of Arendelle tonight. Don't worry, Frederick." She remarked hastily as she saw him raise an eyebrow. "I'll be fine on my own."

"Apologies for my bluntness, Your Majesty, but I'm not exactly comfortable with the idea of you journeying alone. It is my duty to protect you after all, and it doesn't seem like I'm doing my job very well if I don't follow you." Frederick had a polite but disapproving tone in his voice.

"Captain, I don't know how many times I have to say this._ I can_ take care of myself for one night." Elsa said firmly as she scrunched the letter up and tossed it into the fireplace. "Please tell the staff to help get my stallion ready."

Frederick nodded uneasily. "And what about dinner?"

"Have it packed in a bag. I'll eat on the way."

And what about the princess?"

"You are not to tell her anything. She doesn't need to know about this."

"As you wish, Your Majesty." Frederick bowed and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Looking at herself in the mirror, Elsa sighed. She couldn't believe that she was actually going through with it, although a part of her was excited to be a part of something greater. Picking out a Prussian blue jacket from her closet, she wore it over a mulberry top and pulled on a pair of black skin tight leggings. Finishing off with blue boots, she took one last look in the mirror before heading out of her room.

Walking briskly through the South Wing, Elsa was sure that she had a lesser chance of bumping into her sister. Even though she loved Anna, her sister was the last person she wanted to see at this point in time. Exiting through the South door, Elsa arrived at the stable to find Frederick waiting for her with a bag of food in hand, and beside her horse stood…her sister. Inwardly, she groaned and her heart sank. She didn't have the strength to tell Anna the truth, and she wasn't exactly eager to lie to her either. However, this was something she couldn't avoid.

Walking up to Frederick and Anna, Elsa drew herself up, trying to maintain a calm posture and steadied her breathing.

"Your Majesty." Frederick greeted her, holding out the bag of food.

"Elsa, what's going on?" Anna asked.

"Frederick, you may go." Elsa took the bag from his hand.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, thank you."

Frederick took one last long look of hesitation at his queen, before leaving the sisters alone in the stable.

Elsa looked at her sister. "There's just something I need to take care of." She placed the bag of food on her horse's back. "It shouldn't take long. I'll be back before you know it."

"We need to talk, Elsa."

"Not now, Anna. Can we do it when I'm back?"

"You know, you actually have me worried." Anna looked at Elsa with concern. "You came back last night drenched in sweat, hair mangled and mud all over your clothes."

"Now you're just exaggerating things. _I'm fine_." Elsa stressed. "Really."

"What's been going on? You've been really out of it since yesterday."

Elsa pursed her lips.

"Are you in trouble?"

"I said _I'm fine_." Elsa tried to keep the irritation out of her voice and immediately felt guilty. Her sister was just concerned about her. _What's wrong with me? _

"You know what they say about siblings? That you can feel when they're not altogether fine?"

"Anna-"

"I haven't felt this way since before I learnt about your powers. What's going on, Elsa? You know you can tell me."

"There's nothing to tell. Look, I have to go."

"Where?"

"I…can't tell you that." Elsa knew she had just boxed herself in.

"Why?"

"Anna-"

"No, why? Why do you keep shutting me out?"

Silence.

"I thought we'd come to a place where we can be free of secrets. I guess I was wrong."

Elsa opened her mouth to say something, but decided it was best not to say anything that could potentially make things worse than they already were. _So much for avoiding Anna. _

"You were way better at maintaining secrets when you locked me out of your life." Anna folded her arms. "Maybe you should get back to that."

"You don't mean that." Elsa said quietly.

"You know, I never told you this," Anna looked at Elsa with a hurt and angry look on her face. "Even though you locked yourself away, at least I had Mother and Father while I was growing up. But after they died, I desperately hoped that you would let me in and we could lean on each other. At the very least, in that trying time." Anna's eyes welled up with tears, and she blinked them back. "All I wanted was a shoulder to cry on. All I wanted was to grieve together with my sister."

"I'm sorry."

"And even then you thought your secret was more important than us being a family. Sometimes I wonder if it makes a difference whether we're sisters or not."

"I'm…" Elsa could feel a lump in her throat. "I'm just trying to protect you."

Anna scoffed, wiping the tears away. "How many times have I heard that line?"

"Anna-"

"Just go." Anna turned away and walked back into the palace, leaving Elsa out in the stable alone.

Watching as her sister walked back into the palace, Elsa sighed deeply and shut her eyes as they threatened to water. She hated that she had to keep secrets from Anna, but how could she explain to Anna that she was just trying to keep her safe from a mythical danger? There wasn't any way the conversation could have ended without Anna being angry at her. Mounting up her stallion, Elsa settled herself comfortably in her saddle and pulled on the reins lightly to get his attention. She squeezed the horse gently with her calves and pushed her hips forward in the saddle. "Go." As the horse galloped across the bridge and out of Arendelle, Elsa shot a quick glance behind her at the castle. She was going to have to find time to resolve things with Anna later, but right now, she had to focus on the mission ahead.

###

As the stallion's hooves made contact with the sand of the beach of Opalle, Elsa brought him from a gallop to a canter, and finally to a steady trot. She scanned the vast shore for Ingrid, and not far away, she spotted a woman dressed in dark grey carrying a small bag on her shoulder. Arriving near Ingrid, she dismounted gracefully and walked towards the frail looking woman. It was then that she realized that she had completely forgotten to eat her packed dinner, but by then it was too late.

"Your Majesty, I'm so glad you decided to help." Ingrid clasped Elsa's hands in her own. "Thank you. Together, we stand a better chance of stopping the League again tonight."

"So what's happening tonight?" Elsa asked as she led the stallion to a nearby fence and tied a quick release knot that ensured he would not run off without her.

"My contact in the League said that Prometheus will strike again tonight. But this time, it'll be just him. He's going to infiltrate one of the secure laboratories to try to get the Augbine Herbs again."

"Our kingdom trades the Augbine Herbs with Opalle," Elsa said. "It makes sense that Prometheus would come to this city next since he couldn't get it straight from the source."

"That's correct."

"But are you sure your contact can be trusted?" Elsa asked, suddenly suspicious. "How sure are you that it isn't a trap?"

"We can trust him." Ingrid replied reassuringly. "He believes in our cause, to bring down the League and the Pilgrim once and for all. He's been giving me reliable information for the longest time. I'll introduce you to him after this is over."

"Alright then." Elsa and Ingrid walked away from the beach towards the gates of the city. "So where exactly is this laboratory?"

"It's not far from here." Ingrid pointed at a tall building. "It should be empty now, since it's way past working hours. We should be able to get in and out before anyone spots us."

"And more importantly, Prometheus." Elsa reminded her.

"Of course. I asked you here to help me secure the Herbs, but derailing the League is still our main priority." Ingrid agreed. "But first things first. We get the Herbs, and then lie in wait for Prometheus to appear, and then we can take him down."

"You mean _I_ take him down," Elsa looked at her. "I can't let you risk your life when you don't have any powers to defend yourself against him."

"I've been doing this a long time, Elsa."

"That may be true, but I still insist that you sit this one out. I can handle Prometheus." Elsa said firmly, and that was the end of their debate.

They walked to the entrance of the building, but found the door locked. Kneeling down, Elsa placed a hand on the lock, which promptly froze over completely. She gave it a tug, and the brittle lock fell away. Opening the unlocked door, she and Ingrid walked into the compound cautiously. The hallways were dark and empty, as expected, since it was already night and the workers had gone home to their families. They looked at the directory in the main hall, and found the room they were looking for on the fourth floor. After climbing up the stairs and arriving outside the room, Ingrid paused, holding Elsa back from opening the door.

"Wait." Ingrid held Elsa's arm, and pointed through the glass in the door. "Look."

Elsa looked at where Ingrid was pointing, and saw that there was a device mounted in the corner of the ceiling. "A heat detector."

"Exactly." Ingrid let go of her arm. "I don't think we can go in there, because the device will detect our heat signatures."

Pausing, Elsa thought for a moment. "I have an idea." She placed a hand on the glass, and to Ingrid's eyes, nothing seemed to be happening. After a minute, Elsa opened the door and walked in confidently, as if there was no heat detector present in the room at all. Miraculously, the alarm did not go off, and Elsa walked through the room, looking around for the Augbine Herbs. She came to a desk filled with containers of various substances and liquids, and checked the labels. Finally, she found a beaker labelled with the words "Augbine", and a magenta liquid substance inside. Picking up the beaker carefully, Elsa made her way out of the room and shut the door securely.

"H-how did you do that?" Ingrid stared at her incredulously. "The heat detector-"

"Actually," Elsa said sheepishly. "All I did was control the temperature of the room, as well as the hallway, so that they were consistent with my own body temperature. So that way, when I opened the door, the heat detector could not detect any difference in temperature outside the room, and when I walked in, my body temperature was exactly the same as my surroundings in the room."

"That's brilliant, Elsa." Ingrid was clWilly impressed. "Be a dear and pass me the beaker, would you?"

Elsa handed the beaker with the liquified Augbine Herbs to Ingrid, who accepted it from her gratefully. Ingrid removed the vial from the previous day's collection of the Herbs, and dumped them into the beaker. She placed the vial back into her bag, and clutched the beaker in both hands, much to Elsa's puzzlement. A soft muttering escaped from her mouth that Elsa couldn't make out, and a dark mist escaped from Ingrid's hands, seeping through the glass beaker and into the liquified herbs. The magenta liquid gradually turned lime green, and the moment it did, Ingrid took a hasty sip of the liquid, and exhaled in satisfaction.

"What? Why did you do that?" Elsa was utterly bewildered. "You have powers? What's going on?" she demanded in a more indignant tone. "Ingrid! What are you not telling me?"

"I'm sorry, Elsa. I'm afraid I haven't been altogether candid with you." Ingrid genuinely sounded remorseful.

From out of nowhere, Elsa suddenly felt a small dart stick to the back of her neck, and she whirled around. Behind her stood Prometheus, in his signature black hood and mask. She pulled the dart from her skin sluggishly, and felt herself fading. Sinking to a knee, Elsa lifted a hand and aimed it at Prometheus, all while struggling to regain control of her senses, but it was futile. Her arm grew weak and sank to her side as her vision blurred. Succumbing to the darkness that was enveloping her, the last thing she saw was Prometheus towering over her before everything faded to black.

Writer's Commentary:

We're putting some real tension between the two sisters. They love each other, but they have their own issues. I think it's evident that Anna is overprotective of her sister, and her curiosity can be a bit overbearing and annoying at times. That's one of her flaws, besides being impetuous.

As for Elsa, she constantly feels the need to defend her sister from danger, treating her like fragile glass. This deeply annoys Anna, but it's done with good intentions. After all, she almost lost Anna twice. First, when she accidentally froze her heart, and then when Tobias had her captive two months ago. That's enough to traumatize Elsa into thinking the way she does.

The sisterly conflict is something that I think many can relate to. We all think we're doing the right thing for the right reasons, but our judgements can be clouded sometimes. Hopefully many of you can relate to what our two main protagonists feel.

And on another note, Elsa is about to find herself stuck in more than what she bargained for. But that's for another chapter.


	9. Chapter 8: Reviving the Alliance Part I

Chapter Eight

Reviving the Alliance Part I

_Writer's Note: I know some of you might be wondering, but no, this Ingrid is not the same as the one from the TV Series "Once Upon a Time". These are two completely separate characters. And I've been getting questions about whether this is canon. Nope. Think of it as an alternate universe. Hope that answers your questions :)_

**ANNA**

"Come on, out with it, Fred." Anna folded her arms. "What did Elsa tell you?"

"With all due respect, Your Highness, my answer remains the same. Her Majesty did not tell me anything." Frederick stood at attention while being interrogated by the princess.

"This is my sister's life we're talking about here." Anna inched closer to him in a bid to make him feel uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness, but Her Majesty did not tell me anything."

"Urghh!" Anna raised her hands in defeat and ran them through her hair.

It had been eighteen hours since Elsa had left on her journey, and Anna had assumed that she would return around midnight, just like the day before. She had left things on a bad note with her sister, and had felt terrible after her argument with Elsa. Anna had decided to wait for her to come back so that she could apologize and patch things up. However, Elsa didn't show up, and Anna had spent the entire night up waiting for her to return. She had nodded off every now and then, but had always jolted awake when the cold autumn wind blew against the curtains which rubbed against her. She had always looked up in the hope that it was Elsa who had returned, but was disappointed time and again when she realized it was just the curtains flapping in the wind.

In the morning, Anna was losing her mind when Elsa had still not appeared, and had gone out to search the town to ask if anyone had seen the queen. Unfortunately, no one knew anything about the queen's disappearance, and Anna decided that it was best to leave it at that. She didn't need the Arendellians in a state of panic that their queen had vanished from the kingdom for a second time.

Returning to the palace, she met up with Kristoff and began questioning the staff and the soldiers, but no one had heard or seen anything that would give a clue as to where her sister was. Then it dawned on her that Senior Captain Frederick, the Commanding Officer of the Queen's Guard, would know what was going on.

"But surely you had to know where she went two nights ago. She came back hours later caked in mud and sweat." Anna probed further, determined to unravel the truth that Elsa had been hiding from her.

"You know the queen," Frederick said. "She prefers to keep things to herself and do things alone."

"And you didn't think to follow her?" Kristoff asked.

"She gave specific orders to return to the castle without her."

"Typical Elsa." Anna placed a hand on her temple. "Then what about last night? You were preparing for her journey when I saw you."

"Ah." Frederick pursed his lips.

"Fred?"

"Her Majesty instructed me not to tell you anything."

"Oh, come on!" Anna cried. "Surely this calls for a break in protocol? My sister's life could be in danger! Now's as good a time as any to bend the rules a little!"

"Come on man," Kristoff put a hand on Frederick's shoulder, and Frederick gave him a curious look. "This is the Queen's life at stake here."

"Very well." Frederick shrugged off Kristoff's hand. "Her Majesty said she was heading out of Arendelle, and insisted that she would be fine without an escort for one night."

"One night…" Anna echoed. "That means she intended to be back by now." She shot a glance at the clock on the wall. "It's already past noon. Something's wrong. I can feel it."

"It's alright, Anna. We'll find her." Kristoff placed a comforting arm around her and hugged her.

"Yes, we will." Anna pulled away with a look of determination written across her face. "There's only one place we can go." She looked at Frederick. "Fred, get us a carriage to the harbour."

"Your Highness?" Frederick cocked an eyebrow.

"We're going to Denmark. There's someone I need to find."

"Anna?"

"The Princess of Denmark," Anna looked at Kristoff. "She came to Arendelle two months ago looking for Elsa to recruit her for the Warriors. If there's anyone who can help us find Elsa, it's Melody. And we could really use Tracy's help. She's good with magic."

"Are you sure? Elsa could very well be on a mission together with the Warriors." Kristoff sounded skeptical.

"Elsa said that whatever she was involved in, it wasn't with the Warriors."

"Do you believe her?"

"About this? I think so. The Warriors disbanded and went their separate ways, and I don't think Elsa was lying about that. In any case, Denmark is the only place I can think of that we could go to for answers. If Melody and Tracy aren't there either, then we would know for sure that Elsa is really on a mission with the Warriors, but I doubt so."

"I will prepare the escort, Your Highness." Frederick said.

"We only need the escort up till the harbour. Once we're out of Norway, Kristoff and I are just regular civilians travelling to the Kingdom of Denmark by way of sea." Anna said firmly. "We don't want to attract unnecessary attention."

"My job is to-"

"Ensure my safety. I know." Anna looked at Kristoff. "He'll have that covered. I need you to stay in Arendelle and be my eyes and ears, Fred."

"I'm not sure I-"

"Yes you can, Fred. You're a Senior Captain for a reason." Anna said firmly. "And I need you to tell the Ministers that till I return, they are in charge of running the kingdom safely while I'm gone."

"Of course, Your Highness. I'll prepare for the journey now and inform the Ministers." Frederick bowed and walked away briskly.

"Are you sure about this?" Kristoff asked uncertainly.

"I've had to climb mountains, survive a frozen heart and stop the villainous Hans before finally reuniting with my sister. I just got Elsa back after all these years and I'm not losing her again." Anna replied with fresh fire in her eyes, fully confident of what she was going to do. "We don't have any other options. We need all the help we can get, and that means reviving the team. If there's anyone who can find Elsa, it's the Warriors."

###

In three hours, Anna and Kristoff found themselves in the waters of Denmark. With much difficulty, the boat captain docked at the bustling harbour, bowing to the Princess and her companion as they hopped off the boat and pointing them in the direction they wanted to go.

During the short voyage, Anna and Kristoff had changed into common civilian clothing to avoid attracting attention and to blend in with the crowd. Anna was now sporting a teal turtleneck and a purple trench coat, with black leggings and white shoes. Kristoff, on the other hand, was not dressed much differently from his usual outfits. He now sported a dark blue shirt with a grey denim jacket, thick trousers and brown climbing boots.

"Come on," Anna dragged him up the crowded pier and out of the harbour. "Now we got to get to the castle of Denmark." She picked up a map from a nearby shop and studied it. "We could get a cab to take us."

Anna waved at a driver who rode a brown horse pulling a spacious carriage. He pulled over at the side of the road for the two to climb aboard. "Take us to the castle of Denmark, please." She said after they got into the carriage.

The cab pulled away from the road and they quickly raced through the city, and before long, they were out in the country, and the landscape started to look more familiar to the duo. Long winding roads that went through mountains, forests and farms, which ultimately led to the sea side where the castle was located. After what felt like hours, they finally arrived at the gates of the plot of land where the castle resided, and Anna paid the hefty cab fare.

As the sun began to set and the skies turned orange, the couple walked through the gates, comfortably dressed in common clothing so as not to attract unwanted attention. To everyone else, they were just tourists that had come to visit the kingdom of Denmark. _No one needs to know who we really are._ They ventured toward the castle, and cut through thronging market, where the commoners were gathered to buy food.

"Hold on." Kristoff pulled Anna to a stop, and started off in a different direction.

"Where are we going?" Anna squeezed through the crowd, trying to keep up with Kristoff. "We're supposed to be heading for the castle!"

"I thought I saw…" Kristoff trailed off, and came to a stop near one of the stalls. "There!" he pointed at a girl helping to wash plates. "That's-"

"Tracy." Anna recognized the former Warrior, catching Kristoff's drift. She pushed through the crowd, this time with Kristoff in tow. "She's one of the Warriors that came to Arendelle to stop Tobias."

"Yeah, I thought that was her."

"Hey!" Anna came to a stop outside the stall that Tracy was in.

Tracy turned off the tap, not looking up from her pile of plates. "Sorry, we're closing for the day."

"Tracy, it's us!" Anna walked into the stall and Tracy finally looked up. "Don't you remember? You came to Arendelle with the Warriors to try to stop Tobias."

"Right…Elsa's sister! Anna or something, right?"

Anna nodded. It secretly ticked her off that Tracy remembered her because of Elsa. _Yet another fine example of how the famous Queen Elsa overshadowed her less important sister. _

"Can we take this outside?" Kristoff seemed annoyed as he was pushed and shoved in the midst of the crowded market. "We can hardly hear each other over all this commotion."

Tracy, Anna and Kristoff headed out of the market and found a quiet spot by a bridge, and settled down near a street lamp.

"Why did you come to Denmark?" Tracy asked, handing out cinnamon rolls to the couple.

"It's Elsa. She's gone missing." Kristoff replied.

"What? How?"

"We don't know. We're here to revive the Warriors, starting with Melody and you." Anna said, stuffing her cinnamon roll into her mouth.

"Hah. Good luck with that." Tracy snorted. "Melody went back to Copenhagen High."

"Copenhagen High?" Kristoff asked.

"School." Tracy explained, taking a bite of her roll. "She went back for her next semester not long after we returned from Arendelle." She scoffed. "She tried to take me to school with her, but there was no way I was gonna learn about history and royal etiquette and all that nonsense. So I stayed behind to forge a life for myself here."

"In the market?"

"It ain't easy getting a job when the only thing on your résumé is 'sea witch, destroyer of human vessels.'" Tracy chuckled. "I figured I should be grateful to even get a job at all."

"Washing dishes?"

"Hey, some of us have to make a living." Tracy glanced at Anna. "Not all of us are born in a palace."

"Right. We could _really_ use your help." Anna said. "We're bringing the Warriors back together."

"_The Warriors_." The former sea witch snorted. "Is that what you've been calling us? A little cheesy, don't you think?"

"Right?" Kristoff said, glad that there was someone who agreed with him.

"That's not the point, but whatever." Anna said. "Do you know where Maui went?"

"Maui? After what he did that night, he flew off and we haven't heard from him since. No one knows where he went." Tracy wiped the crumbs from her mouth and stood up. "First things first though. You wanna get to Copenhagen High, right?"

"Is it far from here?"

"By horse, it might take a while. But we could be there in an instant, you know. Just like that." Tracy snapped her fingers and grinned.

"What do you mean?" Anna blinked.

"I've been working on my magic in my spare time when I'm not washing dishes or taking orders from the stuck up merchants." Tracy explained, looking around to make sure no one was watching. "Here, let me show you." A portal of purple mist opened up in front of the trio abruptly, stable and constant. "Walk right through it. Trust me, I've been working on perfecting this for a long time." Tracy motioned dramatically for Anna and Kristoff to step through the portal, and followed behind them.

"Woahh, what is this place?" Anna gazed around in awe. They were standing in a void of blank space which spanned for miles, and there seemed to be no end to whatever place they were in.

"It's called the Crossing Zone. I learnt about it some time back." Tracy looked extremely pleased with herself, and pointed her hand at a nearby spot. Another portal of purple mist opened up in front of them, and they walked through it again. This time, Anna and Kristoff found themselves in a completely different place.

"This isn't the town where we came from." Kristoff looked around in confusion.

"You're right, it ain't." Tracy said proudly. "Took me a while to get it right, but I nailed down teleportation. I can bring us to the Crossing Zone in between Crossing Points in case we need to hide from danger or whatever."

"So you can open gateways to any dimension of your choice?" Anna was wide eyed and impressed.

"Yeah."

"Wow, cool!" Anna glanced around at her surroundings. "I'm guessing we're in Copenhagen High?"

"Yeah."

They were standing at the top of a huge stadium, which was packed to the brim with students cheering and shouting at the large field below. Around the field was a running track, where a couple of athletic students were sprinting like their lives depended on it.

"What's going on?" Kristoff asked one of the spectators who was sitting at the top row closest to him.

"It's the annual National High School Games." The student explained without turning. "The school sends their best athletes to compete with the other schools across the country, and this year it's happening here on home turf."

"And we're winning!" Another student hissed in excitement. "Melody's already won first place in boxing, and it looks like she's going to win the hundred metre sprint too!"

And sure enough, everyone could see a girl in the clear lead, crossing the finishing line to an eruption of cheers and a huge standing ovation. Anna looked over at Tracy who shrugged.

"Why am I not surprised." Tracy reached into a student's box of popcorn while he was too busy cheering and took a handful. "It's Melody, after all."

The trio watched together with the rest of the crowd in the stadium as the final competitors lined up for the final challenge of the Games: archery.

"Hah, this is gonna be a cinch." Tracy snorted. "It's a no contest."

"What do you mean?" Anna looked at Tracy.

"Have you actually seen that girl with a bow and arrow?"

"Nope."

"Then watch." Tracy pointed at Melody, who was taking her position between her remaining competitors, lining up in a row of five in front of a row of target boards.

**MELODY**

Standing in between the two competitors on her right, and the other on her left, Melody planted her feet at shoulder width apart securely on the grass. She lined up her feet parallel to her shooting line, and then rotated on the balls of her feet so that she was positioned in an open stance, which vastly improved her stability. This wasn't like her battle against Major Kane, where there were no variables and the scales were all tipped against her. She wasn't in a rush or being shot at by mercenaries or attacked by a crazed warlord. She had five arrows, and she imagined the bullseye on her target board to be five mercenaries standing still for her.

Straightening her slender frame, she kept her eyes on the target board as she lifted the standard recurve bow assigned to her for the competition, and rotated her elbow straight before drawing back the bow slowly. She felt the weight of the bowstring and the arrow, and measured her strength. Her aqua blue eyes narrowed slowly to see better as she breathed calmly. The sounds of the cheering and shouting and the voices of the commentary over the loudspeakers gradually faded away and were entirely blocked out, and the only remaining sound was her own breathing and her heartbeat. Her fingers released the grip on the string and the first arrow flew out.

Immediately as her fingers released the arrow, she reached for the next one from her quiver on her back while keeping her other hand steady and unmoving on the bow. Constantly shifting ever so slightly to her right, the second arrow flew, followed by the third, the fourth and finally the fifth, all at a constant rate. Only after the fifth arrow left the nock of the bow did Melody relax.

Melody waited patiently as the judge walked across the field, looking and marking the scores of all the competitors. The other four participants did fairly well, with a few arrows hitting the bullseye and most of the others missing it by a bit. However, when the judge came to Melody's target board, all five arrows had an extremely tight grouping, all stuck to the bullseye, each at a specific and constant angle between them. Without question, Melody had won first place in the National Games. The moment the winner was announced, the crowd erupted into thunderous applause and the local students of Copenhagen High jumped for joy, hugging each other and chanting the school cheer with unanimous fervour.

**ANNA**

"Yup. That's Melody for you." Tracy folded her arms proudly, not one bit fazed at the spectacle she had just witnessed. After all, she had witnessed Melody in a real battle before.

"Woah." Anna gaped. "I've never seen her in action before. No wonder she's one of the Warriors."

"No kidding. That's some insane archery skills right there." Kristoff was equally surprised, even though he had witnessed Melody in action with a longbow back in Arendelle a couple of months ago.

"So how do we get to her? It looks like she's gonna be in the centre of attention for quite some time." Anna looked at the local students flooding onto the field to celebrate their champion.

"S'cuse me, where do y'all stay in this school?!" Tracy shouted at one of the students, trying to be heard above all the screaming. "I'm guessing there's a building to house all of you during the semester!"

"The residential college!" The student answered, pointing to the south side of the compound. "It's Block E, in the South Wing."

"Thanks!" Tracy pulled Anna and Kristoff away from the seats and towards the walkway leading to the South Wing. "If we can't get to her, we'll wait till she comes to us."


	10. Chapter 9: The Pilgrim

Chapter Nine

The Pilgrim

**ELSA**

Forcing open her heavy eyelids, Elsa found herself staring up at a high stone ceiling, with a splitting headache and a desperate need for a shower. Her back ached from lying on a slab of stone protruding from the wall that was meant to be a bed. She pulled off a stiff fabric that was supposed to pass as a blanket and shivered. _That was new. She had never felt cold before in her life! What was going on? _She looked around at the dark chamber. Stone walls and a high ceiling were dimly lit by a single lamp beside a steel door. It appeared that she was in some sort of dungeon. _But where?_ She turned around, hoping to find a window behind her bed, and was not surprised to find none. _Great. She had no clue where she was. _

Shivering, Elsa felt her fingers and toes growing numb with cold and wrapped the blanket around herself, crossing her legs beneath her to keep warm. _Why was she feeling so cold?_ _And how was she even feeling cold in the first place? All her life, the cold never did bother her._ Glancing over at the opposite end of the room, she noticed that her Prussian blue jacket was immaculately folded and placed on a table and her boots were neatly arranged in front of it.

The last thing she remembered before everything went dark was the sight of Prometheus towering over her after he had stuck a dart in the back of her neck. He must have brought her to the dungeon after their encounter in Opalle. A chill went down Elsa's spine at the thought of Prometheus removing her jacket and boots while she had been unconscious.

Like a flash, she suddenly remembered. _Ingrid!_ The cunning woman had been playing her this whole time, deceiving her into getting the Augbine Herbs for her own personal reasons. _But why? What did Ingrid have to gain by obtaining the Augbine Herbs?_ Elsa had seen her casting a spell on the liquified herbs which then turned lime green, before drinking it. All of it felt like a bad dream to her, and Elsa wondered if what she had witnessed was even real, or maybe it was part of her headache manifesting itself after Prometheus had ambushed her. Either way, she had lost track of time, and desperately needed answers as to where she had been taken.

She got down from the bed, still wrapped in her blanket which fell around her ankles, walking across the cold stone ground to the door and placed a hand on it. It was made of solid metal from top to bottom, and there was no handle on the inside, only a couple of thick steel bars near the top of the door that gave her a small look as to what was outside. Elsa tiptoed and peered through the steel bars, and was disappointed to see just another stone wall a short distance in front of the door. The dungeon reminded her of Stillcreek. _Wait, could she possibly be in Stillcreek? No, that didn't make sense. Why would Prometheus take her to Stillcreek? The Warden would have recognized her._ The room somewhat reminded her of the castle's dungeon she had been locked in after she had been brought back to Arendelle by Hans, only this one was darker and…cold.

Suddenly, there was a noise outside the steel door, and Elsa back-pedalled away from the door, a bout of anxiety suddenly washing over her. The door opened, and Prometheus walked into the room, clothed in a long black cloak, with his usual hood and mask, leaving the door unlocked behind him.

"Prometheus." Her eyes narrowed, her anxiety turning to anger and indignation. She aimed her hands at the hooded villain, and she felt strange. _Something was different, wrong._ She couldn't feel the cold flowing through her hands, and no ice emerged from her palms. Only then did she realize that there were two metal bracelets around both her wrists, which had a very faint blue light emitting from a tiny panel on each bracelet.

"What?" she stared at the bracelets, and back at Prometheus angrily. "Why did you bring me here? Where are we?"

Prometheus remained silent, and was noticeably unarmed, without his scabbard, bow or arrows. It was obvious to Elsa that he had not come to fight, but nonetheless watched her like a hawk.

"I said-" Elsa smashed her bracelets together forcefully in an attempt to break them, but to no avail. "Where are we? And what did you do with my powers?"

"Calm down." The deep mechanical voice of Prometheus was eerie and foreboding to Elsa's ears. "Don't try to break out of those. You'll just hurt yourself."

"And why should you care?" Elsa continued trying to dislodge the bracelets from her wrists.

"I brought you here for a reason," Prometheus walked towards her, and she backed away slowly. "It wouldn't be convenient if you hurt yourself trying to escape. Which will prove pointless anyhow."

"Why did you bring me here?" Elsa backed up against a stone wall, ready to resort to fighting if it came to that. However, she knew for a fact that Prometheus hadn't come to fight. After all, if he had wanted to, he could have killed her while she was unconscious and defenceless. He needed her for a reason, whatever that was.

"First things first, Your Majesty." Prometheus reached into his cloak and instinctively, Elsa poised herself for whatever weapon he was going to bring out. To her surprise, he brought out a clean white towel and held it out for her. "I'm assuming you need a bath. You royals tend to be quite particular about cleanliness."

Elsa looked at him before slowly taking the towel.

"The bathroom is two doors to the right." He said, leaving the way out of the room unhindered. "And don't worry," he added when he saw her suspicious posture. "The lock's only on the inside." Prometheus sat down on the bed. "I'll be here waiting for you."

Clutching the white towel tightly to her chest, Elsa inched her way past the hooded man, keeping her eyes on him the whole time until she was safely out of the room. Looking down the narrow and long hallway, she realized that it would be useless to attempt escape. She didn't know the way out, and given Prometheus' strength and speed, he would probably catch up to her anyway. Deciding that her only option was compliance, she pushed open the door of the bathroom and locked it quickly. She wasn't going to take any chances.

After a long bath, Elsa emerged from the bathroom feeling refreshed, much cleaner, and her headache had cleared. She was surprised that wherever she was, the place had hot water. It was such a relief to have the hot water neutralize the strange chill that the cold brought. Truly a new experience for her. Nevertheless, after drying herself off and redoing her platinum blonde hair in her classic french braid, she put on her clothes and walked back to the first room cautiously. Prometheus was waiting at the door for her.

"Good, you came back. Looks like you have some sense after all." Prometheus took the towel from her. "It would have been futile to try to escape from this place."

Elsa remained silent, not knowing what to think of the strange man. She had fought him twice before, but there was something about him now that made her feel like he wasn't a complete monster, which certainly felt weird.

"Come." Prometheus stood up. "The Pilgrim is waiting for you."

"The Pilgrim?" Elsa asked.

"You've made a name for yourself."

"What does that mean?"

"The Pilgrim has been watching you for quite some time. Come." Prometheus motioned for Elsa to walk ahead of him.

_He's smart_, Elsa thought to herself. _Making me walk ahead of him to ensure I don't run off with his back turned._ She walked out of the room with as much dignity as she could muster, and was ushered down the hallway and up a flight of stairs. Only then did she realise that she had been in a basement of sorts. As she climbed flight after flight of stairs, she could hear the crashing of waves outside, and deduced that she was in a lighthouse or some kind of tower by the sea. Stopping to nurse the soles of her feet, Elsa regretted not wearing her boots before leaving the room. The uneven and sharp stairs made out of rock had cut into her soft feet, leaving small trails of blood as she climbed. _That was going to hurt for a few days at least. _

Prometheus watched as Elsa winced at the sight of her own blood on her soles. "It's not much further."

She continued up the remaining flight of stairs that led to the top floor, and she was relieved to find that the hallway floor was made out of smooth stone. Prometheus brought her down another dimly lit hallway to a room and knocked on the door, before opening it.

Elsa was gently pushed into the room by Prometheus, who shut the door behind him. She looked around and saw Ingrid standing by a large window overlooking a steep precipice leading down to a raging ocean, dimly illuminated by the moonlight. "Ingrid?" She walked towards the woman with greying hair. "What's the meaning of all this? You're involved with him?" she shot a disdainful glance behind her at Prometheus, who stood guard by the door.

Ingrid, dressed in a dark grey cloak, calmly turned from the window to face Elsa. She chuckled apologetically. "I'm sorry for all the theatrics, Elsa. But like I said before you collapsed, I'm afraid I haven't been altogether truthful."

"What does that mean?"

"Allow me to reintroduce myself. I am the one people call 'The Pilgrim' in the myths." She smiled crookedly.

"I don't believe you."

"How do you think I knew so much about the League? And what else do you think I have to gain by deceiving you here?"

Elsa narrowed her eyes. "You…lied to me."

"You were so eager to take down my loyal friend," Ingrid glanced at Prometheus. "Tell me, Elsa. Was bringing him to justice really that important to you?"

"You know I wanted him arrested so I could interrogate him about the League of Sorcerers…and the Pilgrim." Elsa looked back at Prometheus.

"It's funny how things worked out for you, didn't they?" Ingrid said, and Elsa turned her attention back to her. "Now you have a chance to ask me anything you want to know about us, and also to meet your new partners."

"What do you mean 'new partners'?"

"Come now, Elsa." Ingrid walked closer towards the young queen. "Why else do you think Prometheus brought you here?"

Elsa glanced back warily at the hooded man by the door.

"Oh, no, don't worry. He may be a deadly mercenary, but he's really a gentleman at heart. He wouldn't have laid a finger on you, apart from carrying you here." Ingrid reassured her, noticing Elsa's suspicious gaze.

"And where is 'here', exactly?" Elsa demanded.

"Far northwest of Arendelle." Ingrid replied, and Elsa looked at her. "I told you I came from a place far northwest. I wasn't lying about that."

"So you brought me here to initiate me into the League of Sorcerers?" Elsa folded her arms across her chest.

"Yes."

"Then why go through all the trouble of deceiving me and manipulating me into getting the Augbine Herbs for you? Was everything just a test?"

"Unfortunately, yes. It was all an elaborate test. I needed to see you in action for myself. Tobias may have failed in his personal quest, but my goals were met."

"Your goals?"

"Tobias was a former member of the League of Sorcerers. I'm guessing he told you?"

Elsa nodded.

"The idiot wanted the throne to himself, and when he failed in his attempt to sway the people in the referendum, he came begging me to lend him the Knights to take the throne by force." Ingrid scoffed. "I knew it was a fool's errand, but what better chance to see the Snow Queen in action?" She paused and relished in seeing Elsa taking it all in. "So I sent Prometheus to be my eyes and ears, to see you in action. I gave Tobias only a few mercenaries, knowing full well that the Warriors would bring them all down with ease. The real goal of the entire thing was for Prometheus to gauge your power and abilities in the field."

"So it was all just an elaborate set up?" Elsa could feel her anger rising rapidly. "You put my sister's life in danger!"

"I knew right from the start that Tobias would fail. He's a fool to think he could possibly have a chance of defeating the Warriors, especially you."

"But even then, that wasn't enough for you. You needed to see me for yourself."

"That's right. So I posed as a victim and an adversary of the League to gain your trust and see you in action up close with my own eyes."

"And what about the Augbine Herbs? What was so important that you had to get them? Why did you drink it? And you've had powers all this time?"

"We'll leave that story for another time. But I must say, I was genuinely excited to see you in action for myself," she walked closer to Elsa, smiling like a proud mother. "And you didn't disappoint. In fact, you've impressed me at every turn. You truly are the one I've been looking for."

"That.. is creepy. And why am I so important to you?" At this point, Elsa felt uncomfortable and sick. She had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"Because you are one of the Elemental Sorcerers."

_There it was again. That term: the Elemental Sorcerers._ "Why does everyone keep calling me that?" Elsa asked.

"Because you are part of the rarest breed of sorcerers on earth. Take pride, Elsa."

"Rarest breed?" Elsa was slightly offended. "What am I to you? Some kind of animal?"

"Far better, my dear. The Elemental Sorcerers are among the most powerful beings on earth. Do you understand how important you are?"

"I think I get the idea." Elsa said dryly. "But what makes you think I'll join your League willingly now that you've revealed your true colours?"

"Ah." Ingrid pursed her lips. "I was hoping that once you realized your worth, you would join us of your own accord."

"And why would I do that? You're all a bunch of murderers whose only code is vengeance. You take justice into your own hands."

"And how is that different from what your Warriors did?"

Elsa remained quiet. _She had a point. _

"The Warriors took it upon themselves to stop the warlord from killing millions across the globe. You meting out your version of justice is no different from what we do."

"The difference is," Elsa said boldly. "We don't destroy entire civilizations to serve up justice. You're insane if you think I'm going to be a part of this."

"I feared you might say that. It appears then that I only have one final card to play." Ingrid shook her head. "It's a shame. I wish it didn't have to come to this."

"What are you talking about?" Elsa took a step back, and looked over her shoulder to see Prometheus still standing guard by the door, barring her exit.

"Tell me, how much do you know about the Archbishop of the Church of Arendelle?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Elsa was baffled.

"Oh you'll see." Ingrid said dubiously. "I know you gave a nice little speech about him, but do you really know much about him?"

"No, he died before I was even born." Elsa and her sister were both Christians who regularly attended services at the Lutheran Church located in the centre of Arendelle which was easily accessible to all, but Elsa herself never really knew much about the famous Archbishop who died of unknown causes. "All I know is that the Archbishop was a great man who was revered by everyone."

"And do you know how he died?"

"No, of course not. No one does." Elsa was still confused. "I still don't see what this has to do with anything."

"And what about your father?"

"What about him?"

"He never did tell you, did he?"

"Tell me what?" Elsa was growing more perplexed with every question.

"I guess not." Ingrid chuckled. "Why would he tell you? After all, he would have wanted to protect you and your sister from the truth."

"Ingrid!" Elsa had grown annoyed. "What are you trying to tell me? What truth?"

"Your father, King Agnarr, murdered the Archbishop when he was a young man."

"What?"

"It was the day of his coronation. He struck down the Archbishop, and fled the scene of his crime before anyone could learn of his actions."

"No." Elsa ran her hand through her hair. "I don't believe you. My father was a good man. A good king! He would have never done something like that!" She glared at Ingrid. "You're lying to manipulate me. Again!"

Ingrid shrugged. "Tobias knows the truth as well. You could ask him."

"And why would I believe him any more than I would believe you?"

"That's a fair point." Ingrid agreed. "Then since you don't believe me, maybe I should show you." She raised a hand, and a cloud of red mist filled the air above them, hovering near the ceiling and spanning across the room.

Elsa looked up at the red mist and saw a figure forming out of the darkness that had a face that resembled her father in his youth. "Father?" Her eyes grew wide as she watched her father arguing with the Archbishop, and her mouth gaped open as her father struck the Archbishop viciously with a blast of ice, causing the elderly man to stumble and hit his head on a piece of furniture, tumbling to the ground in a heap. She watched as the Archbishop lay motionless and her father clutched his head in his hands before fleeing the scene.

"No… it isn't true." She staggered to a knee as the black mist faded away. "You made that up."

"I'm sorry, Elsa," Ingrid's voice was strangely soothing. "I wish I could tell you that this was false and that I'm making all of it up. But I'm not. King Agnarr had powers like you, and murdered the Archbishop that day, and covered up his crime by dedicating a day in the Archbishop's honour."

"No… you're lying." Elsa mumbled, looking down and tearing up at the shock of the revelation. This was too much for her to take in, and she could feel herself caving.

"I'm not." Ingrid walked up to Elsa, and bent down, pushing the hair away from her face and wiped away her tears with her hand gently. "And unless you join me, your dear sister will learn of your father's secret too. And so will the rest of Arendelle. They will all learn the truth about King Agnarr and his crime that day."

Elsa looked up at Ingrid, staring daggers at her through watery eyes. "You're a monster."

"Maybe I am." Ingrid smiled. "But can you really afford to let this revelation out? What would Anna think of her father then? I wonder if this would destroy her spirit."

"You leave my sister out of this." Elsa hissed, wiping away more tears from her eyes. "She has nothing to do with any of this."

"I agree. And I hope to keep it that way." Ingrid got up and walked back to the window. "As long as you hold up your end of the agreement."

"What do you want from me?"

"You know what I want. Leave your past behind, take your place in the League of Sorcerers and obey my every command without question." Ingrid placed her hands behind her back, looking out of the window. "Oh, and I wouldn't try mentioning a word about our arrangement here to your sister or the Warriors, or warning them about us. I would know about it. And things wouldn't end well for poor Anna." She glanced back at Elsa. "I wouldn't want to see your sister lying dead in a ditch in Arendelle, having her throat slit by some random thief. Do we have an agreement?"

Elsa nodded her head slowly in defeat as she felt herself fading yet again. _But Prometheus hadn't even done anything this time,_ she thought as she sagged to the ground like a rag doll, her head swirling. _What's happening to me?_ Elsa struggled to lift her head off the ground, but found that she could not. Closing her eyes, she found herself succumbing to a beautiful calm, which was all she needed after the day she had just endured.

Writer's Commentary:

All along, we have always perceived Elsa as this powerful, regal Queen who is undefeated. In this chapter, I really wanted the readers to see a different aspect of our protagonist. She can also be vulnerable, which is the way she is portrayed in this chapter. I wanted the readers to feel like wow, there are people who are a real challenge for Elsa, both physically and psychologically.

Our beloved Snow Queen is really pushed to her limits, and eventually she caves, hitting rock bottom. This really puts things in a new light. She is no longer the most powerful being in the room, as she now serves under the Pilgrim. Moving forward, you will see Elsa being exposed to a bigger world out there.


	11. Chapter 10: Reviving the Alliance PartII

Chapter Ten

Reviving the Alliance Part II

**MELODY**

Standing in the elevator with a big golden trophy in both hands and confetti stuck to her hair, Melody bade her friends goodbye and exited at her floor. _Finally, some peace and quiet. _She dragged her feet down the hallway of the residential college past multiple doors till she arrived at the end of the hallway, stopping outside her own door. Putting the golden trophy down heavily on the ground, she reached into her pocket and fished out her keys. She unlocked her door and kicked it open, carrying the trophy into the room with both hands, and found three familiar faces waiting for her.

"Tracy?" Melody blinked, placing the trophy on the ground. "Kristoff?" she glanced at Anna, unable to remember her name. "Uh… Elsa's sister, right?"

"Anna." Anna nodded. _There it was again. _

"Cozy quarters you got here, Princess." Tracy said, leaning back in a chair with her feet up on Melody's desk. Melody's room was spacious and white walled, with wooden furniture that gave her living space a minimalistic look. The shelves were lined with other medals, trophies and awards for sports competitions, and it was evident that the golden trophy that Melody had just acquired was the latest in a long line of accolades that she had achieved in her time at Copenhagen High.

"What are you doing here? How did you find me?" Melody swatted Tracy's feet off her desk and placed her bag on it. She turned to Anna and Kristoff. "What's going on?"

"Boy, are you a sight for sore eyes." Anna stood up from her chair, beaming at the girl.

"Yeah, it's been a while," Melody tilted her head to one side in confusion. "You came all the way from Arendelle?"

"Uh huh. We kinda need your help."

"Okay…with what?" Melody removed her sweater and slumped in her couch, evidently exhausted from her day's activities. It wasn't the competition that had tired her out, it was the celebrations and attention that she had received afterward which had been immensely draining.

"We're bringing the Warriors back together."

"What?" Now, Melody was even more confused than before. "No," She sat up a little looked round at the rest from her couch. "No, no I'm done with all of that. The Warriors, the missions, that's all behind me now."

"Look, we really really need your help." Anna pleaded.

"What could be so important that you need the Warriors back together? We stopped Major Kane and saved the world. What more could there be?" Melody frowned.

"Elsa's gone missing." Kristoff spoke up.

"What?" Melody leaned forward. "When did this happen?"

"Two nights ago, Elsa went out on some adventure and returned back to the palace sweaty and muddy. Initially, I suspected that she was out with you guys." Anna glanced from Melody to Tracy.

"The Warriors disbanded and we all went our separate ways after…that night." Melody looked at Tracy who nodded. "I left for school the day after we returned to Denmark."

"Yeah, Elsa said the same thing. She said she wasn't out with you guys and I believed her, but there was still something she hiding from me. I could tell." Anna continued. "Then yesterday evening, I caught her sneaking out again and when I confronted her, she said she had something she needed to do. I asked her where she was going but she was pretty tight lipped about it. We left things on a bad note, and she hasn't returned since then." She finished, looking at Melody and Tracy.

"Wow, it sounds like the two of you have some real issues to sort out." Tracy remarked, and Melody glared at her. _The former sea witch was still as insensitive as ever. _

"Yeah, things were pretty tense between us. And now to make things worse, she's gone. No one from my kingdom knew where she had gone, and I didn't know who else to turn to."

"We wouldn't have come here otherwise." Kristoff added, and Anna nudged him.

"What Kristoff means is," Anna said hurriedly. "We're out of options, and we know the Warriors disbanded, but we could really use your help."

"I've got no plans," Tracy shrugged. "I mean, what's my boss in the market gonna do? Fire me?"

"Probably." Melody raised an eyebrow at Tracy. "Look, I really appreciate the fact that you and Kristoff came all the way to find me," She paused. "If it were for any other reason, I wouldn't agree to this," she looked at Anna. "Are you certain Elsa's in danger?"

Anna nodded. "I can feel it."

Melody sighed, and walked over to her bed, and pulled out a wooden trunk. Lifting up the lid, she removed a jet black Hoyt Satori Takedown Recurve bow. It had an aluminium seventeen inch riser which protruded out more than her previous bow, the Martin Saber, and had short fifty eight inch limbs surrounded with high performance carbon layers. The new bow was slightly lighter and smaller, and it certainly looked sleeker.

"New bow?" Tracy asked.

"Yeah." Melody stood up, with her new Hoyt Satori in hand. "Kane broke my old one, remember? Maybe it was a blessing in disguise," she looked at her bow. "I miss my old Martin Saber, but this one fits me so much more." She looked up at her guests. "If Elsa's in danger, then count me in. She's my friend too. But once this is over, I'm done. For good."

"Of course." Anna replied hurriedly. "The instant we have Elsa back safely."

"Alright." Melody said. "So what now?"

"We gotta get Maui on board too. We're gonna need the muscle." Anna replied.

"No one knows where Maui is." Melody said.

"Told ya." Tracy glanced at Kristoff and Anna. "But, I might be able to try something."

"What?"

"As y'all know, I've had a lot of time to practice and hone my black magic," Tracy began, making no apparent effort to conceal her pride. "I've picked up a few new tricks. One of which is…" she held a dramatic pause, glancing around at her audience. "Finding people who don't want to be found." She turned to Anna and Kristoff. "That's how I knew exactly where Melody was in the first place."

"Ah." Kristoff said, raising his eyebrow. Melody could see that he still had a hard time believing all of what he had seen and heard.

"So what you're saying is, you can find Maui?" Anna said hopefully.

"Yeah, all I gotta do," she closed her eyes. "Is focus on sensing his emotions, which in this case," she opened her right eye. "Is probably guilt."

"Just do your thing, Tracy. We'll leave it to you." Melody put down her bow on the bed. "In the meantime, I'll go pack my stuff."

"Right." Tracy closed her right eye and took a deep breath dramatically. After what seemed like an eternity of silence and Melody had returned with her gear and a new outfit, Tracy opened both her eyes, stood up and broke the silence. "I know where he is."

"Wait, just like that?" Anna was confused. "I thought there was gonna be a lot more magical mojo or something."

"The ways of a sea witch are beyond mere humans." Tracy put on a heavy accent, mimicking an aged religious sage.

"So where is he?" Kristoff asked impatiently.

"Africa."

"Wait, hold up. Just a minute. Big brainwave." Anna held up both her hands, a brilliant idea suddenly hitting her. "With all this talk about finding Maui, why not use your magical mojo to find my sister?" she looked around at the rest. "Problem solved!"

"Why didn't I think of that?" Tracy scratched her head. "Never mind. Now's as good a time as any to try." She sat back down and closed her eyes again. However, after a few moments, her eyebrows furrowed and her forehead creased.

"Something's wrong." Melody stepped forward, placing a hand on Tracy's shoulder. "Tracy?"

Tracy opened her eyes abruptly, looking up at Melody and the rest. "I-I can't see anything."

"What do you mean?" Anna asked worriedly.

"When I was looking for Maui, I could roughly make out a terrain through his eyes. I saw and felt Africa through him." Tracy explained. "But when I tried to focus on Elsa's emotions and location, all I saw was thick darkness, with a magical signature like mine." She looked perturbed. "There's black magic involved here too, not just mine, and it's blocking me from getting through to Elsa."

"I knew it," Anna pursed her lips. "Elsa's in trouble."

"Don't worry," Kristoff placed his big arm around her comfortingly. "They'll help us find her. Somehow." He glanced at Melody and Tracy.

"We should start by finding Maui." Melody added.

"You sure?" Tracy asked uneasily. "I'm guessing he chose Africa because it's the farthest he could get from us. Trust me, he really doesn't want to be found. I could feel his guilt pretty strongly."

"We don't really have a choice." Melody picked up her bow and quiver, and passed a light brown bag to Kristoff. "Help me with this, will you?" She had changed into a white tank top with her trademark quia green bomber jacket, black jeans and high cut maroon boots.

"Yeah." Kristoff took the bag and slung it across his back. It was heavy, no doubt packed to the brim with survival gear.

"Alright then, let's go." Tracy aimed a hand at a nearby empty space, and a purple portal of mist opened up, with a bright purple light shining out of it.

"Woah, that's new." Melody was taken aback.

"Pretty cool right?" Tracy said proudly as Anna and Kristoff stepped through the portal. "Just walk right through it."

"Hold on. Just one more thing." Melody walked over to her desk and reached for a peach coloured pouch. She placed her hand in it, and fished out a golden necklace, looking at it for a moment. Sighing, Melody stepped into the portal, followed by Tracy who closed it behind them. Once inside, Melody looked around at the void. "What just happened?"

"Teleportation." Tracy explained. "I can now basically bring us anywhere we wanna go. Cool huh?" she stretched out her hand and opened another portal. "Go on."

The four walked through the second portal and stood on top of a hill, overlooking a plain of trees, mountains and rocks, and dim moonlight was cast over the terrain.

"Africa, huh?" Kristoff looked around at his surroundings. He had never been anywhere outside of Southeastern Norway where Arendelle was located, let alone the continent.

"So…where do we find Maui?" Anna asked as she slowly shifted downhill, cautious not to end up tumbling down the steep side.

"I don't know." Tracy looked at her as they all made their way to the bottom of the hill. "My magic only allows me to see the approximate location."

"Right." Melody gripped her bow a little tighter. "Keep your eyes open. We don't know what dangers this place might hold." Just as she finished her sentence, she could hear a little rustling sound nearby, and she spun round, narrowing her eyes to try to see better in the dark.

"You just had to say it." Tracy hissed, throwing up her hands.

"Wait, what's that?" Anna turned to look.

"RUN!" Melody shouted, sprinting back up the hill.

"Wh-what?" Anna back-pedalled a few steps up the hill before turning to run.

"Lions!" Kristoff yelled, grabbing Anna's arm and practically dragging her up the hill as fast as he could. "I was right! I had a bad feeling about this!"

"Get up to higher ground!" Tracy shouted, catapulting a blast of black magic in front of the lions in an attempt to scare them off, and a purple wave of energy erupted in front of the lions. The majestic beasts hesitated for a brief moment, and Tracy seized the opportunity to sprint up the hill and widened the gap between predators and prey, but the lions shook off the initial shock and continued their pursuit of their human prey.

As the four reached a plateau at the top of the hill, they looked down the opposite side and to their dismay, another few lions were making their way up the hill. They were cornered with nowhere to run!

"Whose bright idea was it to come here again?!" Tracy screeched.

"Don't panic!" Melody said, nocking an arrow and drawing back her bow.

"What's that gonna do against a pack of hungry lions?" Kristoff shouted.

"You got any other ideas?"

The lions on both sides reached the top of the hill, snarling and slowly stalking their trapped prey. When it seemed like they were about to pounce, a roar suddenly echoed through the night and a large brown lion emerged from behind the pack. It growled at the rest and seemed to be communicating with the leader of the pack.

"Uhh-what's going on?" Anna looked on at the strange spectacle unfolding in front of her eyes.

"I think I know." A smile crept across Melody's face and she relaxed, placing the arrow back in her quiver. _Everything was going to be fine. _

The leader of the pack, a majestic golden haired beast, grunted at the rest, and they all turned around immediately at their leader's command, heading down the hill, leaving the large brown lion behind. The brown lion watched as the rest of the pack left, then it turned to the humans. "Sorry about that. They're just protective of our territory."

"Maui?" Anna thought her eyes and ears were playing tricks on her, and then realized that it was like the first time she had heard a horse talk when Melody first came to Arendelle to find Elsa.

"Yeah, it's me." With a bright flash of light, the brown lion shape-shifted into the form of a tall, muscle bound man holding a fish hook. "Don't worry about the lions. I told Simba that you're my friends." Maui smiled, looking round at the Warriors. "How did you guys find me? It's really good to see you guys again, but you should probably go. Simba doesn't like foreigners in Pride Rock."

"Maui, we need your help," Melody cut straight to the chase. "We know things didn't really go the way we wanted back in Arendelle, but we wish you didn't exile yourself," she looked sympathetically at the demigod, whose smile had vanished. "We could have helped you."

"No," Maui looked at her. "No, you couldn't have. What I did-"

"What you did was an accident." Anna said.

"No it wasn't." Maui replied, his face written with guilt. "What I did was no different from what Major Kane did. That bloodlust, my animalistic instincts, that was all on me."

"You didn't mean to." Melody protested.

"What if I did?" The demigod turned away. "I knew what I was doing, but I couldn't stop myself from brutalizing the Chancellor."

"He was going to hurt Elsa!" Anna walked up to Maui and placed a hand on his huge arm. "You saved her!"

"And in doing so, I almost killed a man. I'm a monster, and I shouldn't be around humans. It's safer for everyone that way."

"So what, you just decided to give into your animalistic nature?" Kristoff said bluntly. "That's not the answer, man!"

"He's right. Maui, look at me." Melody said, and Maui turned to face her. "You might have made a mistake, but staying here among the beasts and exiling yourself from mankind isn't the answer. You want to make up for your sins? You have to reach out when redemption beckons. I, of all people, would know this best."

"And redemption _is_ beckoning," Anna added. "We need your help. My sister's gone missing."

"Elsa's missing?" Maui turned his attention to Anna, and there was deep concern in his voice. "What happened?"

"Long story short, she told me she had something she needed to do, but then she never did return."

"And I couldn't sense her location, like how I sensed yours." Tracy said, glancing at Maui.

"You tracked me here?" Maui was surprised.

"I picked up a few new neat tricks." Tracy never gave up the chance to put herself on a pedestal. "But yeah, I found you and teleported us here."

"When did Elsa go missing?" The demigod was evidently worried. "And are you sure she's in danger?"

"It's been more than a day. And Tracy could sense that there was black magic involved in whatever happened to Elsa." Kristoff replied.

"Something's definitely not right," Anna added. "I can feel it."

"We need you Maui," Melody finished. "We need your strength, your intelligence, your knowledge of myths and magic, and your courage."

"I…"

"Maui, you've been a beacon of hope to humanity for the past thousand years." Melody said. "And just because of one mistake, you're willing to give it all up? The Maui I know wouldn't go out on a low note like this."

"Alright. Fine." Maui straightened up. "But only because Elsa's in danger."

"Great, alright!" Anna rubbed her hands together. "So now what?"

"Should we bring Moana on board too?" Tracy asked.

"No." Maui turned to her. "Her village got destroyed, Major Kane killed her family, and all she wants is to rebuild what's left of her tribe. We should leave her out of this. She's been through enough."

"Agreed." Melody said. "The five of us can handle this on our own." She turned to Anna and Kristoff. "You wanted the Warriors, well, here we are. Welcome to the Alliance."

"Awesome!" Anna squeaked. "You have no idea how many times I dreamt of being an official member of the Warriors!"

"Alright," Kristoff was not amused. "So what do we do now?"

"I suggest," Melody began. "We return to Arendelle and take a look at things from a different perspective. There may have been something we missed." She looked at Anna and Kristoff. "No offence."

"None taken," Anna still couldn't stop grinning in excitement. "We could use a fresh perspective on the situation."

"I can't fly all four of you there at once." Maui frowned. "I'm going to have to make two trips."

"Fret not, demigod." Tracy pointed a hand at an empty spot and a portal of purple mist opened up. "Say hello to our new and improved mode of transport."

"Teleportation, huh?" Maui smiled. "Looks like you got a pretty good handle on your magic."

"Step right through." She bowed dramatically as the rest entered the portal, and followed suit. The portal of purple mist closed behind them, and Pride Rock was once again quiet and peaceful. Emerging from yet another portal, the five Warriors found themselves back in the castle of Arendelle.

"Welcome back to Arendelle, folks." Anna said. "Fred!" she hollered and her voice echoed through the large foyer.

"Does she usually just shout across the palace like that?" Melody whispered in shock. _And she thought that she was as unregal as a Princess could possibly get, but Anna was evidently worse._

"You get used to it." Kristoff shrugged.

"Yes, Your Highness?"

Melody recognized the Captain of the Queen's Guard, who poked his head out from his nearby post on the balcony of the second floor, seeming unfazed by the Princess screaming in the most unregal fashion.

"Take our guests to Kai and tell him to set them up in the guest rooms!" Anna shouted and turned to her three guests. "Follow Fred. He'll have my Head of Staff tuck you guys into comfy beds in no time."

"We can start looking for Elsa in the morning." Kristoff added. "We'll all be fresher after everything we've been through today."

"Agreed." Melody said. "We'll see you in the morning then."

She smiled at Anna and Kristoff, and walked up the stairs to follow the man at the top of the stairs, with Tracy and Maui in tow.

"See ya." Anna trailed off, and turned to Kristoff, her smile fading. "I hope they can help us find Elsa. I'm honestly so worried. What if she's being locked up in a dungeon somewhere without food or water? What if…she's being tortured?"

"Hey, don't worry," Kristoff hugged her. "They'll find her." He said in a reassuring manner to comfort Anna, although he himself wasn't sure if he really believed it.


	12. Chapter 11: The League of Sorcerers

Chapter Eleven

The League of Sorcerers

For the second time, Elsa opened her eyes drearily, but this time instead of the high stone ceiling, she found herself staring up at a ceiling painted in white. The blanket and bed also felt different. _Comfier._ She pulled a thick blanket off her and sat up, eyelids heavy with fatigue. The bed she was on wasn't the slab of stone from the night before. She was now sitting on a queen size bed with plump pillows in a room that was definitely not a dungeon. Looking around, she spotted Prometheus sitting in the corner of the room.

"Do you have to keep watching me?" Elsa scowled at him, wrapping the blanket around herself.

"The Pilgrim was worried about you," Prometheus continued quietly in his deep voice, standing up and walking across the room towards her. "You collapsed after your little chat with her, and you've been out for more than a day. One of the healing sorceresses said it's from stress, exhaustion and lack of sustenance. The Pilgrim wanted me to watch over you to make sure you were alright."

Elsa stared at him quietly, not knowing what to make of it all.

Here." He removed a tiny bottle of purple cream and held it out for her.

"What is it?" she said apprehensively before taking it from him.

"Apply it on your wounds."

Elsa felt uncomfortable as he looked at her. "I…could use a little privacy."

"Of course. I'll be outside." Prometheus walked across the marble floor to a wooden door and promptly left the room.

As the door of her new room closed, she stared at it, assuming that Prometheus was waiting just behind it. There was something about him that she couldn't put her finger on. Elsa presumed that he had just sat in the corner of the room watching her while she slumbered, which came across as entirely creepy to her. However, she had to admit, he had consistently carried himself as a gentleman so far. He certainly had the opportunity to violate her while she had been utterly defenceless. Twice, in fact. Nonetheless, all he had done was to ensure her comfort ever since she had been kidnapped. _That had to count for something. _

She looked at the tiny bottle that Prometheus had given her, and unscrewed the cap. Elsa cautiously smeared a bit of cream on a wound on the sole of her right foot and braced herself, expecting a sharp pain. To her surprise, instead of pain, there was a soothing feeling and she could see the wounds healing and closing up right before her very eyes.

Amazed, she touched her sole, and felt smooth skin as if it had never been broken the night before. Applying the miracle cream on her left foot, the wounds disappeared too, and she pushed herself off the bed. As her feet touched the ground, she instinctively winced, and then she remembered that her wounds were non-existent. She walked over to a basin at the other side of her room and washed her hands and face. Drying off with a towel, she sighed and plopped herself back on her bed.

She had just begun to remember everything she had learnt the night before, starting with Ingrid's betrayal in Opalle. Then, Prometheus had drugged her and brought her to… this place. She still didn't know where she was, apart from the fact that she was far northwest of Arendelle. Afterwards, Prometheus had brought her to meet Ingrid, where Elsa had learnt her true identity: the Pilgrim. The cunning woman had been playing her the entire time, and had even prepared for the inevitability of Elsa's resistance.

Ingrid had exposed the secret of Elsa's father, and to her horror, she discovered that her father had killed the famed Archbishop of the Church of Arendelle. She was then strong-armed into obeying Ingrid, for fear that her father's crime would be leaked to Anna and the rest of the kingdom. It was all too much for her to bear, and she had presumably collapsed under the stress and exhaustion, and possibly hunger and dehydration too. Elsa hugged her knees close to her chest and hung her head. As tears streamed down her cheeks, she wondered how she had gotten herself into such a mess. All she wanted was to keep Anna safe and protect her kingdom from the threat of the League, and now she had so much more to lose.

She dried her eyes and looked up to see her jacket and boots neatly arranged on a table, and walked over to them. Putting on her boots, Elsa immediately felt less vulnerable and relished the feeling of having her cold feet tucked safely inside her boots. She pulled on her Prussian blue jacket and embraced the warmth. Something still felt wrong. The bracelets on her wrists must be dampening her powers, causing her to be like any other ordinary human being. Feeling cold was still such a strange new sensation for her. Walking over to the wooden door, she opened it to find Prometheus waiting for her patiently outside.

"How are your wounds?" Prometheus asked.

"What do you care?" Elsa replied coldly.

"I assume the cream worked then." He glanced down at her boots for a brief moment, before looking up at her. "You must be hungry."

Now that he had mentioned it, she realized she was famished. Elsa felt her stomach growling. She hadn't eaten anything since lunch the day before, and her lips felt so dry and parched too.

"The Pilgrim is waiting in the dining hall." He gestured for her to walk ahead of him again, and he brought her down a carpeted hallway, which had a vastly different atmosphere from the place she had been the night before.

"Where are we?" Elsa asked, and when Prometheus didn't reply, she honestly wasn't surprised.

They reached the dining hall, and Elsa walked in to see Ingrid dressed in dark grey, sitting at the head of an oak table with a full spread laid out in front of her.

"Ahh, Elsa. It is _so_ good to see you up and about. I was rather worried about you when you didn't stir at all for the entire of yesterday." Ingrid called out in her rough drawling voice. "Come." She patted the seat beside her at the table.

Elsa sat down cautiously.

"Help yourself." Ingrid gestured at the wide spread of food.

Taking a generous serving of bacon and potatoes, Elsa made short work of the scrumptious food and buttered up a slice of toasted bread to be eaten with poached eggs. She could feel the food restoring energy to her fatigued body, and began to feel better. Ingrid sipped on a cup of tea and watched as the young queen devoured the food in front of her with a voracious appetite, and signalled to Prometheus. He poured a glass of orange juice for Elsa and handed it to her.

"You're dehydrated," Ingrid said as she watched Elsa gulp down the refreshing drink quickly. "You're going to need to fuel up if you're going to be using your powers." She gestured to Prometheus to pour out another glass.

Elsa continued eating, her only goal to satisfy the hunger that was chewing her up from the inside. Swallowing the second round of orange juice, she licked her lips, having quenched her thirst. Prometheus poured her yet another glass.

"I take it you've had time to settle down and think things over?"

Elsa ignored the witch and continued eating.

"I hope you'll be reasonable. I have no desire for things to get ugly." Ingrid continued, watching as Elsa finished off her food. "As you said last night, your sister has nothing to do with this, and I hope to keep it that way. All you have to do," she paused as Elsa gulped down the third glass of orange juice. "Is join the League of Sorcerers. Do we have an agreement?"

Elsa set down her glass and stared at Ingrid coldly. The woman had played her hand extremely well. She probably had this planned a long time in advance. Nevertheless, she raised a valid point. _Anna had nothing to do with this._ Elsa knew for a fact that she had to keep her sister as far away from her world of magic and danger as she could manage, and that meant agreeing to Ingrid's terms. It was the only way to keep Anna safe from the truth. The truth about their father's crime.

Even if that wasn't enough, Anna's life was at stake. If she didn't do what Ingrid wanted, she could have Anna killed. And Anna wasn't a Warrior like the rest of her friends, she couldn't protect herself against the likes of the League or Prometheus. She didn't have a choice in the matter at all. Elsa nodded slowly in agreement, and Ingrid smiled in satisfaction.

"Good. Then the bracelets will no longer be necessary." Ingrid nodded at Prometheus, who produced a key and took Elsa's left wrist in his hand. Prometheus unlocked the bracelets and removed them from her wrist and proceeded to do the same with her right, and she immediately felt her powers returning to her, but at that moment, all Elsa could feel was the rage burning inside her.

"A unique invention, the bracelets." Ingrid mused. "I had a group of inventors from the city of Fallzion design these power dampening cuffs to neutralize powerful sorcerers like yourself. Wonderful technology, don't you agree?" She evidently didn't expect Elsa to reply. "Come then," Ingrid stood up. "It is time to introduce you to the League of Sorcerers."

Prometheus waited for Ingrid and Elsa to leave the dining hall before following them from the back. Ingrid led them down a spiral staircase to a place that looked like an indoor stadium that was dimly lit and had fortified walls of concrete all around. Walking down the stairs, Elsa could see many young sorcerers engaging each other in battle, coaching, or practicing their own magic. It seemed like a training ground of sorts. T_here had to be at least forty…no, fifty people in the room. How did Ingrid manage to keep them all here? _

"You might be wondering where they all come from." Ingrid glanced at the queen. "They come from all walks of life, from different cultures, social status and upbringings. But they all have a common goal," She led Elsa and Prometheus down a flight of stairs into the training room. "To serve me and execute justice among the corrupt."

"And how did you blackmail them all?"

"Nothing quite so crude." Ingrid smiled. "Psychic conditioning. It takes weeks, months, but eventually they all bow to my will without knowing it. In fact," she glanced at a couple of sorcerers in the corner practicing their skills. "Some of them know nothing else apart from the League. This is their life. That made conditioning their minds a lot easier."

Elsa looked away from the Pilgrim. _So she could manipulate people's minds._ What Ingrid could do was way more advanced than what Major Kane did with the help of the snake totem. The witch had managed to sink her claws into the minds of all the sorcerers here! And without them knowing it too.

"Oh, and don't worry." Ingrid turned to Elsa, as if knowing what she was thinking. "I can't use that on you. I don't have the luxury of time to condition your mind. It'll take weeks, or even months, given how strong you are. That's time I don't have. I had to settle for blackmail."

"And what's the rush?" Elsa glared at her.

"You'll see." Ingrid turned to the field of sorcerers, and then raised her voice. "Everyone!"

The sorcerers stopped what they were doing and turned to face their leader.

"I'm sure you've all heard of the Snow Queen," Ingrid started loudly, her rough voice crackling as she spoke. "And now she's one of us. Meet Queen Elsa of Arendelle, an Elemental Sorceress!"

A gasp and murmur began to spread through the sea of people and Elsa felt a tingling sensation on her skin. _This was uncomfortable. _

"It's alright," Ingrid turned back to Elsa, noticing her discomfort. "It's just that Elemental Sorcerers are a rarity around here. Among all of the sorcerers here, there are less than a handful. Follow me."

As they walked through the sea of people, Elsa looked around at the men and women who made way for the Pilgrim and her companions to pass through. Most of the sorcerers looked young, probably still in their teenage years, and were in awe of the Snow Queen they had apparently heard so much about right before their very eyes.

"I know what you're thinking," Ingrid said without glancing back. "Are the League of Sorcerers made up of children?"

Elsa remained quiet, trying to avoid eye contact with the sorcerers who were staring at her.

"There was a time when the League comprised of older and more experienced sorcerers." Ingrid explained. "But that time is past. The new generation of sorcerers are faster, stronger and easier to bend to my will. Men like Tobias," she scoffed. "I've had a hard time dealing with those lot. They worked for me of their own accord, having minds of their own. I purged the remaining members of the League before starting afresh with these ones."

"And how long have they been your prisoners?"

"Years. Months. Weeks." Ingrid replied. "But you're the second last."

"Second last?"

"I only need one more member to complete the League of Sorcerers. Soon, when the time is right." Ingrid said cryptically.

Elsa decided not to press her further, opting to remain silent. The less she knew, the better. After all, it was her curiosity to discover more about the League and the Pilgrim that had landed her in a spot like this as a prisoner.

"Here." Ingrid stopped in front of a group of sorcerers. "You'll be spending most of your time with them, so get acquainted."

Elsa looked at the sorcerers in front of her. Five girls and four boys, who like the rest, looked like they were still in their teens.

"I'll leave you to it then. Come." Ingrid turned, and Prometheus followed her away.

Elsa looked at the Elemental Sorcerers in front of her, not knowing what to say. They stared back at her, expressions unreadable. "Hello," she began awkwardly. "I'm-"

"Queen Elsa, the famous Snow Queen." One of the girls interrupted.

"Everyone who's anyone has heard about you." One of the boys, who had a deep Molcorran accent, spoke up.

"How are you feeling, Your Majesty?" A tiny voice squeaked, and Elsa saw a small and scrawny girl with freckles who was probably not more than seventeen, glancing at her anxiously.

"Fine. Why?" Elsa was puzzled.

"That's good," the freckled girl said, exhaling. "Because you didn't look so hot last night when Prometheus brought you to me." She paused, realizing that Elsa didn't even know who she was. "I'm Holli. Healing magic. I concocted some cream to heal your wounds."

"Oh," Elsa connected the dots. "So that was you. Thank you, Holli."

"No need to thank me. It's kind of my full time job here." Holli rolled her eyes. "It's like being a doctor, but a magical one, Your Majesty."

"Please, just call me Elsa."

"I'm Cova," the first girl who interrupted her spoke up. "I can communicate with animals." She was blonde, tall and had green eyes. She seemed friendly enough. "That over there," she pointed to another girl who had black hair. "Is Florie."

Florie waved, and Elsa waved back. The introductions continued and Elsa smiled politely, having a hard time remembering everyone's names and faces. Then she noticed three sorcerers, two girls and a boy, standing at the back of the group, watching the introductions.

"Those," Vonco, the boy with the Molcorran accent, gestured at the three. "Are the Elemental Sorcerers."

Elsa hesitantly walked towards the three sorcerers. "Hello." She said cautiously, looking at one of the two girls, who had long flowing brown hair. The girl studied her with brown eyes. Elsa noticed that the girl's features placed her as someone who came from the Eastern continent. "Do you...speak…_english_?" Elsa attempted in Chengdrin, trying her very best to piece together the words from the Eastern language that she had learnt but had never used in Arendelle.

The girl giggled. "Your accent's not half bad." She said in Chengdrin, and then switched to fluent English with a faint accent. "But yes, I do. My name is Jade." She pointed to her brother beside her. "And this is my baby brother."

The boy, who looked just a little younger than his sister, gave Elsa a slight nod, and she turned to him.

"What's your name?" she asked him, but he remained silent.

"Oh, I forgot," Jade added quickly. "Jordan doesn't talk. He had a little accident when we were children. Some of the other boys in the orphanage attacked him, and he hasn't spoken since that day."

"I'm sorry," Elsa said quietly.

"Oh don't worry about it," Jade grinned. "What he lacks in words he makes up with his actions. You should see him in the field." She nodded at Jordan and switched back to Chengdrin. "Show her."

Jordan smiled calmly and lifted his right hand gently. The ground beneath Elsa trembled and rose slightly, and Elsa stepped out of the way quickly. The piece of stone she had been standing on levitated above the ground, and with the clench of his fist, the stone crumbled into dust.

"Wow." Elsa blinked in amazement.

"Yeah, it's pretty cool, right?" Jade said in English.

"And what about you?"

"Ah." Jade looked at a nearby light bulb that hung on the wall above them. "See that?" Elsa nodded. Jerking her hand out towards the light bulb, her palm opened to face the light, and a crackle of electricity surged from the light bulb. The light went out, and blue sparks of lightning made contact with Jade's hand from the light bulb and curled itself into a ball of pure electricity, almost the size of a baseball, self-sustaining and levitating a few inches from her open hand. Then, with a quick jerk, Jade sent the ball of lightning crackling back into the light bulb, restoring the electricity supply to it.

"You're-"

"One of the Elemental Sorcerers. And so is my brother." Jade finished for Elsa. "And that over there," she glanced back to find the third Elemental Sorcerer distancing herself from the rest. "Is Deirdre. Hey!" Jade called out to Deidre. "Blaze!"

Elsa turned to see Deirdre leaving, before she glanced over her shoulder at Jade.

"Come back and at least say hi!"

Elsa looked at Deirdre who began to walk back to them. She had wavy blonde hair, piercing blue eyes, and was about Elsa's height. She looked roughly the same age as Elsa, and had a rather fierce demeanour.

"Elsa, meet Deirdre. We call her Blaze because you know…" Jade mimicked a whooshing sound and mimed an outburst of fire.

"Only my friends call me Blaze." Deirdre said, her voice cold and distant. She sized Elsa up and down silently with a condescending look, before turning to leave again.

"Don't worry about her," Jade explained as Deirdre walked out of earshot. "She takes a while to warm up to people. Hah. See what I did there?" she chuckled at her own joke. "That was funny…wasn't it?" she looked back at Jordan who raised an eyebrow at her.

"She's an Elemental Sorceress too?" Elsa asked, looking at the hostile girl walking away.

"Yeah, there's only three of us. And now you're the fourth." Jade grinned at the queen. "Welcome to the Elite Squad, Frost. Can I call you Frost? You know, coz of the ice and-"

"Sure."

"Great. So yeah, welcome to the Elite Squad. At least, that's what the Pilgrim thinks of us." She rolled her eyes. "Why else would she keep us on the frontlines of every battle?"

"And you're okay with doing whatever she tells you?" Elsa probed cautiously.

"It's all for the greater good, right? Dealing justice to the corrupt. The Pilgrim may be a little harsh sometimes, but she cares for us like her own children, really." Jade explained. "She just wants to do what's best for the world."

Elsa glanced at Jordan to see if he agreed, and he nodded with a smile. _Ingrid was right_, Elsa thought to herself. _She's really got them thinking they're doing the right thing. And there's no convincing them otherwise. Ingrid's got her hooks in deep, and it may be impossible to free them from her psychic conditioning. _

Prometheus reappeared at the balcony above the training ground, and gestured to Jade calmly with authority.

"Great. He wants us to follow him." Jade motioned for Jordan to find Deirdre.

"What for?" Elsa was puzzled as Jade began rounding up a couple of other sorcerers.

"You'll see."


	13. Chapter 12: Hunt for the Queen

Chapter Twelve

The Hunt for the Queen

**ANNA**

"Any ideas where we should start?" Anna asked as she stuffed another spoonful of chocolate cake into her mouth, her hair mangled and untamed. She hadn't bothered to get it sorted out yet, having just woken up not long ago.

"Elsa left no clue or trace at all for us to follow." Melody replied. "We searched her room like you said." She glanced at the Princess of Arendelle who continued to destroy the cake on her plate as they sat in the drawing room of the castle. "But we found nothing."

After a good night's rest and a heavy breakfast in the dining room, the Warriors, and especially Anna, was eager to begin the investigation into Elsa's disappearance. However, after searching for clues to the missing queen's whereabouts, they had turned up empty handed.

"If I may," The Warriors looked up to see the Captain Frederick walking into the drawing room towards them. "The Ministry of Information has picked up chatter about an attack on the farms at the edge of Arendelle. The villagers made their way over from their homes and across the mountains to the town to report the attack. They said it was a biochemical attack of some sort, causing them to all be knocked unconscious while the unknown assailants raided their village of the Augbine Herbs. Upon hearing about the incident, Count Griffith sent messengers to deliver this development straight to the Royal Family. However, since Her Majesty has vanished under strange circumstances," Captain Frederick turned to Anna. "I believe that this should fall upon your shoulders, Your Highness."

"Wait, what are you saying?" Anna was puzzled, polishing off her plate of cake.

"Simply put," Tracy rolled her eyes. "The Soldier thinks that Elsa's disappearances and that attack could be connected somehow."

"When did the attack happen?" Kristoff turned to Frederick.

"Three nights ago, according to Count Griffith."

"Then why did it take so long for us to hear about this?" Anna frowned.

"Count Griffith said that it took the villagers a long time to get across the mountains and dangerous roads to the town." Frederick replied, his forehead creasing. "Though I too find it strange that it took this long."

"Right? It doesn't take _that_ long to travel from the village to the headquarters where the Ministry of Information is based." Anna said.

"There may be something deeper at work here." Melody said, and Maui nodded in agreement.

"And there's something else." Frederick paused, looking at Anna.

"Okay?"

"The night of the attack, Queen Elsa went to visit ex-Chancellor Tobias in Stillcreek. That was before the attack occurred. After her interrogation with Tobias, Her Majesty insisted that I returned to the castle without her, and gave strict orders for me to keep you in the dark about this."

"And when exactly were you planning on telling me this?" Anna said indignantly.

"With all due respect, Your Highness, I wasn't." Frederick said apologetically. "Not until just now when I received news from Count Griffith about the attack. I was under orders from the queen, but now that this attack has been brought to light, I see how Her Majesty's disappearance could be connected to this. I sincerely apologize, Your Highness," Frederick bowed deeply. "I was simply obeying Her Majesty's orders."

"It's fine." Anna waved away Frederick's formalities. "At least now we have a clue."

"Okay, I have a plan." Melody looked at the Warriors. "We're going to split up. Tracy, we're going to the edge of Arendelle to investigate the site of the attack. Kristoff, I need you to come with us and show us the way to the village. Anna and Maui, you guys go to Stillcreek and find out what Tobias told Elsa. Whatever he said to the queen must have rattled her enough for her to make a journey out to the edge alone."

"Right, that sounds like a plan. We'll regroup back here after we're done." Anna grabbed Maui. "Come on, let's get to Stillcreek." Anna and Maui walked out of the drawing room.

**MELODY**

"Captain," Melody turned to Frederick as Anna and Maui left. "Could you help us look into the Ministry of Information? No offence, but I have a weird hunch that something's wrong with the system."

"None taken, Miss." Frederick nodded. "I'll look into it."

"One more thing," Kristoff called out as the Captain began to walk away. "Could you see to it that Sven and Olaf are escorted to somewhere safe until this is all over?"

"You mean the reindeer and Her Majesty's snowman?" Frederick raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah." Kristoff's cheeks flushed a little.

"Of course." If he was amused, he didn't show it, choosing instead to stride out of the room smartly.

"So we're going to the edge of Arendelle, huh." Tracy leaned back in her comfortable chair. "Can we get some snacks for the road first?"

"We're on something of a clock here," Kristoff said. "The queen's life is in danger, you know."

"Right, right." Tracy opened up a Crossing Point from her slumped position and pushed herself up to her feet. "Let's go then."

Melody and Kristoff walked through the Crossing Point and Tracy followed suit, closing the portal behind them.

"So, can you roughly point us in the direction of the edge of Arendelle?" Melody asked, and with a flick of the wrist, Tracy caused the floor of the Crossing Zone to change from purple mist into an aerial view of the kingdom of Arendelle.

"Is that-" Kristoff blinked, unable to believe his eyes.

"A map of Arendelle." Tracy said proudly. "I took a tourist's map of the entire kingdom from the castle and projected it in here. And look, it's in three dimensions too." With another flick of her wrist, the buildings, roads, and hills of Arendelle rose, and the Warriors could clearly see the elevation of the terrain.

"Neat." Melody was in awe of her friend's new abilities and scanned the terrain map.

"Here," Kristoff walked over to a spot on the map and pointed at a small village beyond the range of hills that separated the town from the outskirts of the kingdom. "This is where the attack took place, according to what we know."

"Right." Tracy looked at the spot, and then closed her eyes, opening up another Crossing Point, and the Warriors could see sunlight spilling into the Crossing Zone from outside.

Kristoff took a step through the Crossing Point, and fell forward through it when his foot dipped below where he assumed was solid ground. He tumbled a short distance down the hill and caught himself before he could fall any further.

"Whoops." Tracy apologized. "Maybe I should've opened the portal up on even ground instead of a slope."

"Thanks. That'll actually be really great in the future." Kristoff stood up and brushed grass and dirt off his soiled clothes.

"There." Melody pointed at the village a short distance from the bottom of the slope. "I'm guessing that's the village."

"Yeah. Come on." Kristoff led the way down the slope of the hill carefully. He was an expert mountain climber after all, and that little accident just made him look entirely unprofessional, which pricked his pride. As the warriors reached the bottom of the hill, Kristoff led them past a small but dense plantation of trees towards the small village.

"Hold on," Melody said as they arrived at the entrance of the village. There was a spot of cleared land near the entrance which led to a path that went between the houses on both sides. The cleared land area was muddy and had many footprints in it. Some were from shoe prints, while others were from boots.

Melody's eyes swept back and forth through the mud, while the villagers passing by stared at the foreigners warily. Who could blame them? They had just survived an attack on their village. Walking over to a spot on the mud, Melody stooped down before a pair of footprints and studied them carefully.

"What are you doing?" Tracy asked.

"These imprints in the mud." Melody frowned.

"What about them?" Kristoff was confused, though he could see that she seemed to know what she was doing.

"They're different from the rest." Melody pointed to another pair of footprints. "Look at these," Kristoff and Tracy turned to look where she was pointing. "They make a certain impression in the mud, with a distinct pattern. And look at those," she pointed to another pair of footprints not far away. "Those bear the same structure. And so do many of the others."

"What are you saying?"

"Most of these belong to the villagers who live here," Melody explained. "But _these ones_," she pointed back to the ones she had been studying. "They're vastly different. They leave a different impression in the mud. Deeper ones. Almost as if they came from a person who was carrying weapons which made him a lot heavier. My guess is that these imprints were also made by boots that aren't native to this region."

"And how are you so sure?" Kristoff raised an eyebrow.

"It's a bit of a stretch, but it's all we have to go on."

"It sort of makes sense, I guess." Kristoff admitted. "But it still doesn't give us much of a clue as to what Elsa was doing here."

"Knowing our Snow Queen, she was probably trying to protect the village and stop the attack." Tracy guessed. "She can't stop being a hero. And this place falls under her territory after all."

"Then why would she insist on coming alone?" Melody frowned and ran a hand through her hair. "The Captain said that Elsa gave strict orders to let her come here alone. She could have brought a platoon or a company of soldiers with her to defend the village, so why did she decide to do this herself?"

"Unless it was something she didn't want anyone else to know about."

"Like something mystic, maybe." Tracy added.

"It's something, at least." Kristoff said. "Let's check the rest of the village for anything else we could pick up."

"Yeah." Melody agreed. _Hopefully Anna and Maui are having better luck than we are._

**ANNA**

_Hopefully Kristoff and the others are having better luck than we are. _Anna placed her hand on her forehead and shut her eyes. After she and Maui had reached Stillcreek and the Warden came out to greet them, she had asked to see Tobias. Of course, the Warden had obliged, and mused out loud that her sister, the queen, had also visited Tobias a few days ago. Biting her lip, she had waited while the paperwork was settled for visitation, and finally the Warden had escorted her and Maui to an interrogation room where she could finally attempt to get answers and clues about her sister's disappearance. However, things weren't exactly going great.

"You don't look so hot," Tobias grinned at Maui through the steel bars that separated the visitors from the prisoner. "Why's that?"

"Look, for the third time, we just want to know why Queen Elsa came to see you." Maui said uncomfortably. "Just tell us what we want to know and we'll be on our way."

"Queen Elsa's gone?" Tobias feigned shock. "Who would have guessed?"

"What did you tell her?" Maui gritted his teeth, losing his patience.

"Let's see," Tobias scrunched up his face dramatically, as if to show that he was searching his thoughts.

"Well?"

"I told her the food here's pretty horrible and that she should do something about it. After all, she can't have her prisoners die of disgust."

That was apparently the last straw. Anna watched in horror as the demigod pried the steel bars apart with his bare hands like they were made of sponge, and squeezed through the gap to reach Tobias, who sat unflinchingly in his seat. Maui grabbed Tobias by the collar of his prison uniform and lifted him out of his chair and above the ground.

"You got a death wish or something?" He growled as he held the prisoner at eye level. "It's your fault that she went over the edge!"

"Have you ever considered that it was her own fault for getting captured?"

Maui slammed him against the wall and a great thud resounded through the interrogation room.

"Maui!" Anna shouted in alarm, but the demigod ignored her, frightful rage in his eyes.

"What happened to her? What did you do?"

Tobias showed Maui his hands. "I've been sitting right here in this wretched prison, and it's my fault that the queen's gone missing?" Then, like a flash, his voice changed from false innocence into a snarl as if he had a split personality. "Or maybe you don't want to admit it, but could it be your fault? You weren't here to protect your beloved queen, were you? And what, you're going to beat me to a pulp over your own negligence and incompetence?"

Maui eased up and lowered the man to the ground, his eyes twitching as he was overcome with guilt. The prisoner slumped to the ground with his back to the wall.

"What's the matter? You look uneasy. Is it because you're worried you're going to lose your temper again and cripple me?" Tobias' voice reverted to a calm, composed one, almost as if his previous outburst had been made by a completely separate person. "Or maybe you'll actually finish the job this time."

Beads of perspiration began forming on the demigod's massive forehead.

Anna groaned internally. This had been going back and forth for a while now. This interrogation was getting absolutely nowhere. The moment she and Maui had stepped into the interrogation room, Tobias had endlessly targeted Maui's guilt and hadn't let up since. Tobias certainly knew how to get under Maui's skin. And hers too as well. With great difficulty, she pushed a stunned Maui out of the interrogation room and turned back to the prisoner, slamming the door shut.

"Tobias," she walked up to the prisoner, unafraid that the steel bars that separated her from him no longer served any protection. "All we wanna know is why my sister made a special request to visit you after you woke up from your coma."

"Ah," Tobias looked up at her from his slumped position on the ground. "But that would be telling, Your Highness."

"Yeah," Anna's patience was wearing thin. "That's the point."

"You know," Tobias began. "You and your sister aren't all that different. Both barging into my new _home_ and demanding answers to a list of questions."

"What did she ask you?"

"The same thing you want to know, I'm sure." The prisoner mustered a grin and with great effort, stood to his feet. "How I managed to stage a coup?"

"Let's start with that."

"This is looking like a rerun of last time. Ever heard of the League of Sorcerers?"

Anna was puzzled. "Yeah, I have. But what's that got to do with anything?"

"Your sister asked me the same thing." Tobias answered, evidently losing interest in the conversation. "Look, your intrusion into my home is delaying my mid-morning nap, so I'll just be quick so you guys can get out of here fast. The League of Sorcerers is real, and I used to be a member of the League until I had an accident. I spent the past few decades in Arendelle, and when the referendum didn't work out, I turned to the Pilgrim-"

"Wait, the Pilgrim and the League's real?" Anna couldn't believe her ears.

"Yes, pay attention." Tobias continued, walking past the Princess back to his chair. "I begged the Pilgrim for the League's resources, and she gave me a squad of the Knights of Vengeance, and their leader, Prometheus." He stopped for a moment. "You remember Prometheus right? The man in the black hood, full face mask, carries a sword around?"

"How could I forget?" Anna mumbled. Prometheus had been instrumental in holding her prisoner. If he hadn't been in the Council Chambers that night and it had just been Tobias alone, she would have made a run for it. The hooded mercenary gave her the creeps.

Tobias sat down in his chair. "Three nights back, the queen came to me to learn more about the League, and I told her about the raid Prometheus was conducting at the edge of Arendelle. You've heard about the attack, I assume?"

Anna nodded.

"Your sister went to prevent the attack and to apprehend Prometheus as a first step in taking down the League of Sorcerers. Apparently he got away, and she tried again the next night."

"She said she had something she needed to do," Anna connected the dots. "So she went to find this Prometheus to try and stop the League by herself?"

Tobias nodded and smiled. "That sounds like something Her Majesty would do. Alright, that's enough, Your Highness. _Get out_ of my home, please." He leaned back in his chair with evidently no qualms about disrespecting the Princess. "First you kick me out of the castle and then now you come barging into Stillcreek as if you own the place. I think that's enough."

"Wait," Anna said. "My sister didn't come back after that night. Is she-"

"No, she's not dead," It was as if Tobias had read her mind. "I know for a fact that the Pilgrim has been keeping her eye on the young queen for the longest time. For years, she's been wanting to induct her into the League of Sorcerers. And now she has."

"That's rubbish." Anna retorted. "Elsa would never join the League. You're lying."

"And why would I lie?" Tobias smiled. "I've got nothing left to lose, have I?" He evidently enjoyed seeing Anna trying to process what she had learnt. "Maybe your sister was taken against her will, but the Pilgrim always has a way of convincing her prisoners. Your sister's gone over to the winning side, and willingly too. The sooner you believe that, the better it'll be for you."

"Why does the Pilgrim want my sister? Why Elsa?"

"You really have no idea what your sister is, do you?" Tobias chuckled. "It's almost funny. The queen herself didn't even know she was sitting on raw, untamed power. Until now, at least."

"What are you talking about?"

"Your sister is an Elemental Sorceress. The rarest of the rarest breed, and the most powerful of any sorcerer around," Tobias explained. "The Pilgrim wants to complete her set of Elemental Sorcerers. With Her Majesty inducted into the League, the Pilgrim only has one more Elemental Sorcerer to find before her set is complete."

"I don't believe you. Elsa would never join something like the League. It goes against everything she stands for."

"Don't say I didn't warn you." Tobias smiled crookedly. "We're done here."

Anna stared at Tobias. Usually, she would have something quippy to reply her adversaries, but this time, she was well and truly dumbfounded. _The League of Sorcerers and the Pilgrim were real? And Elsa had been kidnapped by Prometheus to be inducted into the League of Sorcerers? _

She had so many questions, but it was evident that Tobias wasn't going to tell her anything else. He had made it clear that he was in control of the interrogation and not the other way around. The ex-Chancellor was a master manipulator, as evidenced by the launching of the referendum. However, even though he was evil and psychopathic, he wasn't one to lie. He had told her exactly what she wanted to know, but why? Did he want her to know the truth about her sister? Could it really be true that Elsa had joined the League of Sorcerers? Anna shook her head, walking out of the interrogation room and found Maui staring into blank space in the hallway.

"Maui?" she touched his arm. "Are you alright?"

The demigod blinked and looked at her. "Yeah." He didn't sound very convincing.

"Don't let that snake get inside your head." Anna said. "He knows just what to say to get under your skin."

"But he was right."

"What do you mean?"

"He sees me for what I am. A monster."

Anna sighed internally. "We've already been through this. It was an accident, and Tobias is taking the chance to toy with you because of it."

"And what about just now?"

Anna blinked, not knowing how to reply.

"I almost killed him again. Twice and it's no longer an accident," Maui looked away shamefully. "This was a mistake. I shouldn't have come back."

"Hey!" Anna grabbed his arm firmly. "Look at me. Fine, you might have a vicious side. It's part of your nature, but you don't have to let it control you. You need to find a balance between your humanity and your baser instincts."

Maui looked doubtful.

"You helped the Warriors save the world. You helped them save _me_. Maui, you're not a monster." Anna continued. "You just need to find a way to control the fire."

"How?"

"Start by helping us find Elsa. Come on." She motioned firmly for Maui to follow her. "Let's regroup with the others."

Maui took a deep breath and sighed before following the Princess down the hallway of prison cells. _The sooner he was further away from Tobias, the better he would feel_, at least that's what he told himself. The truth was, deep down Maui knew he couldn't escape himself by travelling from one place to another.


	14. Chapter 13: Training Day

Chapter Thirteen

Training Day

**ELSA**

"So where exactly are we?" Elsa asked as she stood beside Ingrid on top of a small slope that led down to a vast beach.

"Swynvort." Ingrid replied promptly and Elsa glanced at her in surprise. "You thought I wouldn't tell you where we were that easily." Ingrid chuckled, amused by Elsa's reaction.

"Prometheus was pretty tight lipped about it."

"That was before we had your agreement." Ingrid reminded her. "But now you're a member of the League of Sorcerers."

Elsa narrowed her eyes and lifted her right hand to shield her face as the sun emerged from behind a cloud and the light hit her straight in the face. The witch was right. Now that she had agreed to Ingrid's terms, knowing her location didn't exactly do her much good. _It's not like I could warn anyone or send out a distress signal_, she thought to herself. _Anna's life is at stake here._

"Observe," Ingrid said and brought Elsa's focus back to the scene before them.

Six sorcerers stood in a semi circle arc around three of the sorcerers and Prometheus. Elsa squinted against the sunlight and she could roughly make out who the three sorcerers were. Cornelius, a twenty year old boy who was essentially indestructible. He was tall and extremely well built, but he was quiet and gruff, letting his strength do the talking. His might was definitely supernatural, there was no disputing that. He had a crew cut, tan skin and deep set eyes. In a way, Cornelius reminded Elsa of Maui, minus the long hair and the boisterous behaviour.

Next, there was Jordan, the mute brother of Jade. He was only eighteen years old, but he had been drafted into the League when he and his sister had been found by the Pilgrim two years ago. Jade had explained to Elsa that after her brother had sustained severe injuries that had left him traumatized and permanently affected, she had decided that they wouldn't stand for it any longer. Being Jordan's older sister by two years, she felt that she had failed to protect him, as it was her responsibility to keep him safe. She would ensure that no one would ever hurt him again.

Jade had resolved to escape from the orphanage with Jordan, and had somehow managed to do so. That was a decade ago. Since then they had survived on their own, relying on each other and travelling to the province of Chengyan to build a new life for themselves. Then, the Pilgrim had found them and the rest was history. Jordan and his sister were two of the Pilgrim's most prized possessions: two members of the Elemental Sorcerers. Watching the two siblings work and train together, Elsa felt a bit jealous of their tight relationship. It made her realize that she had gotten it completely wrong with Anna, and she desperately wanted to repair their relationship and get things back on track, having left things with Anna the way she had. However, Elsa feared that she wouldn't ever get the chance to do so, being trapped in Swynvort and all. She resolved that if she ever got the chance to return to her normal life, the first thing she would do would be to finally let Anna into her life for real this time.

And then there was Deirdre, the fierce and untrusting girl: the Pilgrim's very first Elemental Sorceress. She had the ability to harness fire, with was the complete opposite of Elsa. She had learnt from Jade that Deirdre was twenty one, the same age as Elsa. When she had asked about Deirdre's past, Jade had suddenly looked uncomfortable, replying that it wasn't her story to tell. It was obvious that there was something sensitive in Deirdre's past that had moulded her into the fierce sorceress that she now was, and Elsa knew better than to press the matter any further.

Apparently, there was no Elemental Sorcerer that had control over water in the League. Maybe there used to be, but not anymore. Ingrid had been content with having fire, earth, lightning and ice, though it was still unclear as to why Ingrid wanted all the Elemental Sorcerers under her thumb. Perhaps it was for the simple reason of acquiring the most powerful beings on the planet, but Elsa felt that there was a deeper purpose behind Ingrid's actions.

Prometheus, the only one without powers, stood before all the sorcerers, this time his long cloak replaced by a kevlar jacket. However, he still wore the black mask and hood, a scabbard and quiver on his back, and carried a bow in his hand. Elsa could make out his mechanical voice from behind the mask, but could not clearly hear what he was saying to the sorcerers. _Does he ever take off the hood and mask?_

The three sorcerers queued up on one side, about ten metres away from Prometheus, who had drawn a line in the sand where the sorcerers now stood. Another two parallel lines were drawn along the sand with a slightly broad width. Elsa looked beyond Prometheus to see that there was a bell that hung on a wooden plank that had been etched into the sand. She immediately deduced that this was a training exercise for the three sorcerers to get past Prometheus and ring the bell without crossing out of the parallel lines drawn in the sand. _But there were three of them, and Prometheus stood alone without powers! _

"Watch," Ingrid said, as if she had read Elsa's mind.

Cornelius was the first to move, lunging towards Prometheus at an alarming speed that didn't match his gigantic frame. This didn't faze Prometheus a single bit, who simply ran towards him. As the gap between them closed, Prometheus timed his pacing, carefully studying the cadence of Cornelius' footsteps. Then, when they were a few metres apart and Cornelius' right leg made contact with the ground, Prometheus sprang up, his left leg using the big boy's right thigh as a stepping stone, and delivered a solid right knee to Cornelius' jaw. As his first opponent fell backwards, Prometheus launched himself away from the falling body and landed on his feet, inching slowly back to his first position while saying something to his first opponent who had already risen from the ground. Cornelius nodded and walked back to the semi circle arc.

Next, it was Jordan's turn. The boy ran towards Prometheus and slowed down when he reached the hooded man before him, watching him with dogged determination, trying to keep his breathing constant. Prometheus calmly watched him through the closely knit paddings on the eyes of his mask, his legs bent to keep his centre of gravity low. Then, without warning, Jordan raised his right palm, and the sand beneath Prometheus' feet sank quickly. Prometheus leapt backwards quickly before he could descend along with the sand, and Jordan took the opportunity to lunge towards him, which the mercenary avoided expertly. Missing his target, Jordan landed on the sand crouching, and took a hard roundhouse kick to the head which immediately floored him. From where Elsa was standing with Ingrid, she could see Jade gritting her teeth, using every ounce of willpower to keep herself from running to her brother's side. Then, Prometheus extended a hand to help Jordan to his feet and they exchanged a few words before Jordan nodded and headed back to join the rest.

That left only Deirdre, the last one in line. The girl exhaled and dashed towards Prometheus. The hooded man swiftly nocked an arrow that had a small vial tied to its tip and drew back his bow. He let fly, and as the arrow flew across the beach towards Deirdre, she lifted a hand swiftly as if she had anticipated the move, and a heat wave melted the vial. However, as the heat touched the contents of the vial, a thick black smoke emitted from the contact, covering the air and causing Deirdre to drop to a knee, choking and struggling to find her breath.

"What was the point of all that?" Elsa asked as she watched Prometheus attempt to help Deirdre up, who wrenched her arm free from the hooded man with hostility.

"Prometheus knows all their strengths and weaknesses." Ingrid answered. "He's training them to eliminate their shortcomings. Like in her case," she pointed at the glowering Deirdre. "She's used that technique before: melting Prometheus' arrow. But this time, it didn't work. He was trying to show her that her moves made her predictable, which could result in her defeat in a real battle."

Elsa paused. "And what about Prometheus?"

"What about him?"

"Who is he really? Does he ever take off the mask? What is he hiding?" These were all questions that had been burning at the back of Elsa's mind for the longest time, ever since she had first met him months ago in Arendelle. And now, since Ingrid herself had said that there needn't be any secrets, she badly wanted to know more about the strange man.

Ingrid sighed as she watched Prometheus command the next three sorcerers to step forward. "Somewhere in the Southern Continent, in a city called Bruvesqk, a young woman by the name of Jåne De Vesques lived in a prison called Moordeloch, located on an island off the coast of Bruvesqk. Some time before she was thrown into prison and given a life sentence, she was already pregnant.

"In prison, she bore the child and named him 'Janus'. Over the years, she single handedly raised him in Moordeloch, one of the most dangerous and deadly prisons on the face of this earth. However, one day, Jåne's luck ran out and she was murdered by one of the other prisoners. Janus, now a young boy just shy of twelve, furiously avenged his mother's death by stabbing the murderer to death. The boy was placed in a water hole as punishment to suffer and die, but somehow, his will to live burned stronger. He was eventually fished out of the hole, and continued to live in the prison. Then, when he was fifteen, he faked his own death and managed to swim across the sea back to the mainland.

"In Bruvesqk, he roamed the streets as a thief and scavenger, and was eventually taken in by a gang of mercenaries and trained as one of their own. From there, he travelled across the different countries, building up the skillsets that would equip him as a world class mercenary for hire. He also took part in a few wars that heavily relied on mercenary forces, gaining vast tactical knowledge. At the age of eighteen, he established himself as the fearsome mercenary known as Prometheus. I learnt of his reputation three years ago when he had turned twenty, and hired him to further our cause. Since then, Janus De Vesques has commanded the Knights of Vengeance, a group of elite mercenaries that have served the League for generations.

"As for the mask, it was a…rather unfortunate accident." Ingrid continued. "A year and a half ago, during one of our campaigns, Janus had his face carved up during battle. After an extensive healing session with Holli, he eventually recovered, but he was left with a terrible scar that spanned from his forehead to his left cheek. After that, he donned the mask to hide his face out of embarrassment, as it reminded him and everyone else around him of his greatest failure."

Elsa turned to look at Prometheus, who was still engaging the sorcerers on the beach in combat. Feeling tears well up in her eyes, she desperately fought them back. _Why am I even upset? He's a villain! But he's a villain with a tragic past._ She could not hold the tears back, and they streamed down her face. Janus' childhood was nothing short of horrific, and she could now begin to understand why he had done the things he did. Surely, they were not justifiable, but they stemmed from a root of pain nonetheless. Behind all the weapons, mask and stoic mechanical voice was a lifetime of tragedy. _So he's a villain, an mercenary even_, Elsa thought to herself as she wiped the tears away from her red eyes. _But he's not a monster. _

"Come," Ingrid beckoned and led Elsa down the slope towards where the rest of the sorcerers were standing. "It's time you trained together with them too." They waited with the semi circle while Janus finished his round with Rikhard, a boy who could become invisible. After which, Ingrid nudged Elsa in front of the other sorcerers.

"Hold it," Prometheus said, his mechanical voice filtering through the mask, but this time Elsa could see nothing but a man named Janus, concealing his pain and suffering. "It would be better for her to engage her own kind." He beckoned for Deirdre, Jade and Jordan to step forward. "The rest of you get back to your training."

For a moment, Elsa caught his eye, that is, his eye hidden behind the mask, before he turned to walk back to the tower where they had all come from. As Elsa watched him leave with Ingrid, she felt as if Janus hadn't wanted to hurt her, instead opting to change up the training programme. It was still strange to think of Prometheus as a man not much older than herself named "Janus De Vesques".

"Ready for a match?" Jade's voice brought Elsa back to the beach.

"Wait, what kind of match are we talking about here?" Elsa asked cautiously, looking around at the other three Elemental Sorcerers.

"Two against two. Magic and all. But a little restraint would be nice. Can't possibly have us killing each other before the real battles." Jade chortled and sided with her brother.

Elsa turned to look at Jordan, who bowed politely before taking up a combat stance together with his sister.

"Ready, Blaze?" Jade called out, glancing at her friend.

Elsa looked at Deirdre, who nodded with an indifferent look on her face. It was clear that the fiery girl wasn't too pleased about the training. Either that, or she wasn't too pleased about being paired up with Elsa.

Jade started things off, raising her hand toward the sky, causing a few clouds to gather and grow dark. Lightning crackled from the dark clouds and Jade pulled it towards her hand. With a tiny ball of electricity in hand, she threw it at Elsa's feet, and she ducked out of the way in time, returning a light blast of ice at her hand. The Chengyan girl moved her hand quickly, avoiding the ice.

As Elsa aimed another attack of ice, Jordan promptly raised a tirade of sand from the ground, burying Elsa in relentless showers of dusty fragments which threw her off her game. Deirdre finally made a move, flames emerging from her hands that sent Jordan scurrying back. The tirade of sand stopped, and Elsa got up from the sand, dusting the tiny particles off her face. The sand was stuck in her platinum blonde braid, and she regretted not letting her hair loose before beginning her training. Elsa sent out a burst of ice pellets in quick succession that spanned wider gradually, causing Jordan and Jade to dive out of the path of her attack in opposite directions.

With her opponents separated, she seized the chance and dashed towards Jade, tackling her down to the sand. As she wrestled with Jade, Jordan began running over to intercept her, and Deirdre pointed her hand at Jordan. The boy scooted out of the way of the fire, and instead of hitting him, Deirdre's flames surged towards Elsa.

"Look out!" Jade shrieked as she saw the ferocious flames hurtling towards Elsa's back, shoving her out of the way and diving in the opposite direction. Fortunately, the fire didn't touch either of them, and they escaped unscathed.

"Hey!" Elsa exclaimed as she spat out sand. "What was that about!"

"I think we're done here." Deirdre said, and walked away without even an apology.

"You alright, Frost?" Jade sat up and dusted herself off.

"Yeah," Elsa looked at the fiery sorceress as Jordan helped her to her feet. "But-"

"Give her time," Jade stood up. "She'll come round eventually."

"I'm not so sure about that." Elsa pursed her lips. Maybe she was overthinking things, but it felt like Deirdre had aimed that attack at her on purpose.

"Don't worry." Jade looked in the direction of the tower where Deirdre had marched off, and saw Prometheus gesturing to her from the top of the slope. "Come on, I think Prometheus wants to see the three of us."

With that, Jade, Elsa and Jordan made their way up the beach, leaving the remaining six sorcerers to continue training on the beach. Prometheus rounded them up, including Deirdre, and brought them into the tower of Swynvort to a hall called "The Throne Room" where the Pilgrim was waiting. She was poring over a map on a wooden table, studying it with her green deep set eyes, and only looked up when the door opened.

"Now that you all are acquainted," Ingrid glanced round at the four young Elemental Sorcerers. "It is time. With Prometheus' help, I've located the last Elemental Sorcerer."

"Where?" Jade asked.

"Quodrun." Prometheus replied.

Elsa frowned a little. She had heard of the kingdom before. It wasn't a mighty one, but it was going to be extremely hard to reach. It was far south of Arendelle on the opposite side of the sea, and still lay further inland. The city of Quodrun was located at the border of Denmark on the hills, and the hills themselves were separated from the rest of the civilizations by two wide rivers on both sides.

"How exactly are we going to get there?" Elsa asked.

"I'll get us there." Ingrid replied promptly, and Elsa assumed that she was going to use her black magic to somehow teleport them to Quodrun in the blink of an eye.

"Who do you want us to find?" Deirdre asked.

"His name is Will Daltrey." Prometheus said.

"He harnesses the wind," Ingrid added. "I want him here by any means necessary. And that includes tearing down the entire city to get him if need be."

"Isn't the whole point of the League to remain hidden in the shadows?" Elsa was confused.

"Don't worry about that." Ingrid replied.

"The priority is getting Daltrey back here." Prometheus opened the door. "Prepare yourselves. We leave at nightfall."

The four sorcerers returned to the floor where their rooms were located, and parted ways. Elsa closed the door to her room behind her and sighed. This was what she had become. A pawn in the Pilgrim's grand plan, whatever that was. Nevertheless, she was doing it all to keep Anna safe, and she knew she had to continue obeying the Pilgrim until she could find a way to eliminate her threat for good.

**ANNA**

"I hope you guys found something substantial," Melody said. "Because we don't really have much."

"The only clue we have is a set of boot prints that didn't belong in the village," Kristoff said. "They obviously came from a foreign land, and the trail went cold a short distance out of the village. These attackers, whoever they were, knew how to cover their tracks well."

"I managed to talk to a few of the locals. The villagers said the attack happened pretty quick," Tracy said, lying on a sofa. They had all regrouped back in the drawing room of the castle and were now going over their findings. "One moment the locals were up and about, the next they were all out cold."

"Non-lethal chemical warfare." Melody added.

"Could the attackers be the mercenaries from your first mission? You know, the one where you came to Arendelle to find Elsa?" Anna asked.

"It can't be them. After we thwarted the Major's Quest, the mercenaries were rounded up and arrested for crimes against nature." Melody explained. "There aren't any of Kane's followers left, and Kane himself is still lying dead in the North Pole."

"The villagers also told me that when they woke up, no one had a clue as to what had happened, only that all the Augbine Herbs growing in their fields had gone missing." Tracy continued.

"Wait, the Augbine Herbs?" Anna frowned. "There was no mention of that in the report that Count Griffith gave us."

"You're sure they took the Augbine Herbs?" Maui had a grave look on his face. Anna thought to herself that perhaps it was because of his latest outburst back in Stillcreek, but apparently it wasn't just because of that.

"Yeah, why?" Tracy asked.

"That…makes sense." Maui was deep in thought.

"What?"

"Anna, tell them what you told me on our way back here."

"Right," Anna cleared her throat. "In Stillcreek, the ex-Chancellor confirmed the existence of the League of Sorcerers. They're real."

"Wait, what?" Tracy sat up from the sofa. "You're kidding right?

Anna shook her head.

"It's not just a myth? The League of Sorcerers is real?"

"Wait, what are we talking about here?" Apparently, Melody wasn't privy to the myth. "What's the League of Sorcerers?"

"The most deadly force of sorcery in history," Maui explained with an air of gravity. "Over my many centuries of life, I have heard recounts of their exploits across the continents to exterminate civilizations that had gone corrupt and rain down vengeance on dictators and warlords. They claimed to serve justice, but over the years, their version of justice turned into cold blooded vengeance, striking and retreating without even a trace of their existence.

"Over the past few generations, all these had been chalked up to myth and fairytales. No one's ever seen them or have been able to prove that they're real." He glanced at Anna, dread written across his face. "Until now, that is."

"So you're saying there's a whole secret society of magic wielding people who have been operating out of the shadows for centuries?" Kristoff couldn't believe his ears. It seemed like the world he had once known had collapsed and disintegrated, now replaced by magic, secret societies and kidnapped queens.

"So the Pilgrim's real too?" Tracy asked.

"Apparently so," Anna looked at Tracy, and it was evident that she herself was having a hard time believing it.

"Here's where it gets stranger," Maui added. "Apparently, the Pilgrim has lived beyond that of a normal human lifespan, heading the League for centuries."

"How can that even be remotely possible?"

"I don't know." Maui grimaced. "The source of the Pilgrim's longevity remains unclear."

"That lines up with everything I heard in the Dark Zone as I was growing up." Tracy backed the demigod up.

"Tobias also said that the Pilgrim has been eyeing Elsa for years," Anna continued. "And that she's been captured by Prometheus, the man in the black hood who we encountered two months ago, and brought to the League to be initiated."

"That's crazy," Melody finally spoke up. "Even if all of it were true, there's no way Elsa would join the League of Sorcerers."

"Why would this Pilgrim person target Elsa?" Kristoff crossed his arms. "What's so special about her among other magic-wielders?" He caught Anna's eye. "No offence."

"Because she's an Elemental Sorceress." Maui answered and Tracy nodded in agreement.

"What?"

"Tobias said the same thing!"

"Elemental Sorceress?" Melody blinked.

"The Elemental Sorcerers are the rarest kind on earth." The demigod explained. "They've existed for centuries, but their numbers dwindled, till today they're almost an extinct breed. They're the most powerful among all other types of sorcerers. It makes sense that the Pilgrim wants them all in her collection."

"Wait, so Elsa's one of them?" Kristoff asked.

"Yeah," Anna said. "I was shocked too."

"Can we even trust this Tobias guy?" Melody raised an eyebrow at Anna. "I mean, he was the one who tried to take over your kingdom after all."

"Everything he said lines up with whatever we know to be true." Maui glanced at Tracy, who nodded in confirmation.

"Even if _all of this_ is true," Kristoff said. "I seriously doubt that Elsa would join the League of Sorcerers."

"Agreed," Melody nodded. "We worked with her to stop Major Kane, and she played a huge role in saving the world. There's no way she would defect to the other side."

"Right?" Anna was relieved to hear that the rest felt the same way. "My sister's not evil. No way. But Tobias said that the Pilgrim always finds a way to win her captives over to her side."

"I don't know," Kristoff scratched his head. "Seems sketchy."

"Be that as it may," Maui said. "That lines up with their motives too. Over the years, the League of Sorcerers have always made it a point to acquire the Augbine Herbs, though no one knows why."

"So they were in Arendelle to steal the herbs from the village for their own purposes." Kristoff concluded. "That's where the foreign boots came from."

"That makes sense." Tracy said.

"Wait, but Elsa stopped Prometheus from succeeding and returned to the castle unharmed that night, right?" Melody looked at Anna.

"Uh huh."

"Then what happened to all the Augbine Herbs? Where did they all vanish to?"

An eerie silence fell over the drawing room as the Warriors individually considered the possibility of Elsa aiding the League of Sorcerers.

"This… doesn't look good," Tracy was the first to speak up, but this time cautiously to avoid offending Anna. She had a serious tone, which was rare. "I'm sorry, Elsa was my friend too, but the clues point to her helping the League to get the Augbine Herbs, even before she was captured."

"Then…that raises the question," Maui added slowly. "Was she really kidnapped? Or did she go along willingly?"

"Guys!" Anna slammed the table. "This shouldn't even be up for discussion!" she looked round at the rest of the Warriors with conviction. "Elsa's not evil. We should be focusing on our next clue and not debating my sister's moral compass!"

"What next clue?" Tracy asked, a little sheepishly.

"Tobias said that now that the Pilgrim has Elsa," Anna continued. "She's turning her sights to the last Elemental Sorcerer."

"The Last Elemental Sorcerer…" Maui's brows furrowed. "Excluding Elsa, there's only one left in this continent."

"How do you know?" Kristoff asked. Clearly, he still had reservations about the entire thing.

"After the fall of Motunui at the hands of Major Kane," Maui glanced at Melody and Tracy. "I relied heavily on the prophecy that would guide me in finding the individuals who would stand against the Major. When it came to finding the prophesied Elemental Sorcerer from this Continent, I had it down to two options. First, there was Elsa. And then, there was another in Quodrun. It was a fifty-fifty chance really, and I picked the right one. No offence to the guy from Quodrun."

"Quodrun? That's just outside Denmark." Melody was a little surprised, and Anna remembered that she was from Denmark. "Who was the other candidate?"

"A man by the name of Will Daltrey." Maui continued. "While Elsa could harness the power of ice, Daltrey could control the wind."

"So we go to Quodrun." Melody stood up from her chair and walked over to her gear. "And we find this Will Daltrey before the League does."

"And what's our plan if we run into the League?" Anna asked.

Melody picked up her bow. "I'm working on it."


	15. Chapter 14: The Last Elemental Sorcerer

Chapter Fourteen

The Last Elemental Sorcerer

**MELODY**

"Hey, you sure this is gonna work?" Anna asked impatiently.

"Have a little faith, Princess." Tracy shot her a sly glance and closed her eyes.

The Warriors had entered the Crossing Zone, but none of them knew how to get to Quodrun, except that it was located on the opposite side of the sea, south of Arendelle beyond the kingdom of Denmark, with the city nesting somewhere past its borders on the hills. There was virtually no other way for them to get there, apart from Maui flying them there. But even then, that would consume too much time. Time they did not have. Now that the League had Elsa, the Pilgrim was going after the last Elemental Sorcerer in Quodrun and every moment the Warriors spent idle, the League was one step closer to reaching Will Daltrey before they did.

Tracy opened her eyes. "Got it. I think." She only had a few minutes to study a world map from the queen's private study, and had pored over it with intensity. Now, it seemed that her efforts had paid off.

"You think?" Melody raised an eyebrow.

"Hey, the mystic arts ain't always a precise science, y'know." Tracy said nonchalantly, and pointed her hand at an empty spot in the Crossing Zone, conjuring up a new Crossing Point.

"You made sure we're getting out on even ground this time?" Kristoff had not forgotten the humiliation he had suffered back at the edge of Arendelle.

"Yeah, always." Tracy grinned cheekily at Kristoff who scowled.

"Let's go." Anna was the first to emerge out of the Crossing Point, and struggled to adjust her vision in the dark of night. The rest of the Warriors exited from the Crossing Zone and joined her in the streets of the city that were dimly lit by a few lamp posts along the road, looking around at the buildings around them.

"So this is Quodrun." Maui said.

"So any ideas how we're going to find our mystery man?" Kristoff asked.

"Do you think you can sift out magical energy signatures?" Melody turned to Tracy.

"What, you mean like how Moana used to do?"

"Something like that."

"Wow." Tracy said. "I mean sure, I could try. It just seems like I'm doing all the heavy lifting here."

"Do you know any other sorcerers who could pull it off?"

"Fine, I get the point." Tracy rolled her eyes. "Just gimme a minute." She chanted an incantation not very fluently under her breath, digging deep into the recesses of her mind to find the words.

"How long is this going to take?" Anna asked.

"Done." Tracy pointed to a cluster of houses opposite a tall building from where they were. "There."

"Keep on your toes." Melody gripped her bow, leading the way towards the estate where Tracy had indicated. "We don't know if Will is hostile, or how powerful he really is. Our goal here is to protect him and get him on our side. He could be a valuable asset against the League of Sorcerers and in getting Elsa back."

As they arrived near the estate, Melody looked up at a multi storied building opposite the cluster of houses. "We should split up," she said. "If we could figure out where Will was, so would the League. We need lookouts," She turned to Tracy and Maui. "Remember our strategy in Agrabah?"

They nodded. Their very first battle against Major Kane when Elsa was still on their side. The Snow Queen had nested herself up on the rooftop above the marketplace to watch for their enemies' arrival, and it had worked out well…up till the point when Major Kane decimated them with his black magic.

"Anna. Kristoff." Melody turned to the couple. "Could you get up to the roof and keep a lookout for the League?"

"Sure," Anna nodded earnestly. "But how do we warn you if we see them approaching?"

"Holler if you have to." Tracy said. "It's not far away."

"And one more thing. If our position in Will's house is compromised and the League gets in," Melody glanced at Tracy. "Tracy, you're going to have to open up a Crossing Point and send Will up to Anna and Kristoff for safe keeping if we're compromised. The further Will is from the League, the better."

"Something like a game of hot potato huh?" Tracy grinned.

"Yeah, something like that."

"Alright then." Tracy opened up a Crossing Point, and ushered Anna and Kristoff through.

"Wait," Anna said as they entered the Crossing Point and noticed that Tracy didn't follow. "Don't you have to come into the Crossing Zone with us to open up another portal to the roof?"

"Not always," Tracy winked and closed the portal. Then, craning her head back, she lifted a hand to the sky and opened up a portal facing down. Anna and Kristoff tumbled from the Crossing Point that had been opened up in the sky, and collapsed in a heap on the roof. "Whoops." She snorted and Melody rolled her eyes.

"Come on, we should go." Melody continued leading the way, and Maui and Tracy followed behind.

They approached the estate of houses, and as they got nearer, they could see that the exterior of the houses looked run down. They were made out of bricks, wood and any other bits that lay around. It was obvious that this part of the city was for the less fortunate people. After asking the locals about Daltrey's home, they were steered onto the right path, heading down an unsealed road of dust and soil towards his house. They constantly received suspicious stares from the locals who weren't used to seeing foreigners in their land, but pressed on towards their destination. Finally, they arrived at the backyard of the Daltrey household, and Melody knocked on the door. They waited with bated breath, and finally the door opened and a boy poked his head out.

"We're looking for Will? Will Daltrey?" Melody said politely.

"That's me. Who are you?" The boy asked nervously.

Melody gave Will's appearance a quick glance. The bespectacled boy was lanky and had curly black hair, with perspiration running down his face, soaking his already damp clothes. Dressed in a simple grey long sleeved t-shirt and cargo pants with thick gloves on his hands, he looked like he enjoyed a simple life away from magic and the dangers it brought with it. And to think she was under the impression that he could have been a dangerous, power hungry magic wielder!

"You're…Will Daltrey?" she asked again.

"Yeah." Will said. "What can I do for you?" he glanced at Tracy and Maui who stood behind. "Why are you all here?"

"Listen man," Tracy began. "Your lif-"

"May we come in for a moment?" Melody interrupted before Tracy could do any irreparable damage. "We have something important to tell you."

"Oh…kay?" he moved aside to let the three Warriors into his house, and shut the door.

"You're a carpenter?" Melody asked, looking around at the furniture. Most of the furniture looked like it had been hand carved and had a fine touch to it. She could see tools piled up in one section of the house, and wood shavings were strewn all over the floor. In the corner, was an unfinished piece of furniture.

Will nodded. "Sorry about the mess." He pulled off his gloves.

"Are your parents in?" Maui asked.

"Nope. Never knew who my folks were," Will placed his gloves on a table casually. "For the past eighteen years, it's been just me here."

"I'm sorry." Melody said. She'd always lived a life of privilege and it pained her to see others her age living under such circumstances. It must have been so hard for someone like Will, yet he looked like he was coping just fine without any complaints about his life.

"Don't be," Will gestured for them to sit on the chairs that he had made. "Now, what can I do for you?"

"Right," Melody glanced at Maui and Tracy and cleared her throat. "My name is Melody, and these are my friends Tracy and Maui."

Will nodded politely, pushing up his spectacles to rest on the bridge of his nose.

"We have something urgent to discuss." Melody continued. "But first, let me ask you a question. All your life, have y-"

"Oh come on," Tracy cut in impatiently. "We're running out of time." She turned to Will. "We gotta go now. The League is coming for you."

"L-league?" Will blinked in confusion.

Melody groaned. _There went subtlety out the window._ "Look, Will. We know you have powers. You're an Elemental Sorcerer, and there are people who are coming for you."

Will stood up and began to back away slowly. "What are you talking about? Powers?"

"Now's not the time to play dumb!" Tracy hissed and Melody elbowed her.

"We know, pal." Maui said reassuringly. "It's alright."

"Don't worry, your secret's safe with us." Melody added. "But this League, the League of Sorcerers, they know who you are too, and they're coming for you."

'No…no…I-I'm useless!" Will stuttered, pushing up his spectacles which had slid down his nose again. "Sure I have powers, but I don't know how to use them!"

"What do you mean you don't know how to use them?" Melody asked, her heart sinking.

"I-I don't know how to control them! They appear randomly at times, and I can't tame them!" Clutching his head in a hand, he looked wildly at Melody. "Is it true? This League is coming for me?"

Melody nodded gravely. "I'm sorry."

The carpenter's knees grew weak and he sat down. "Why? What do they want with me?"

"Frankly, I don't know." Melody replied.

"You have to protect me." He stared up at the three Warriors, a look of desperation in his eyes. "Please."

"Don't worry, we will." Melody reassured him, and looked at her two companions.

"Well, that was unexpected." Tracy had an amused expression on her face. "What do we do now?"

"We got to get him out of here before the League comes." Melody turned to Maui. "Any warning from Anna and Kristoff?"

"Nope," Maui shook his head. "But regardless, we should get clear now."

"Too late."

The Warriors as well as Will turned their attention to one of the rooms where the deep mechanical voice had come from. A set of heavy footsteps followed by a set of lighter ones could be heard, and two figures emerged from the shadows and stood in the living room.

"No…" Melody couldn't believe her eyes. The man in the black hood, mask and black leather jacket was standing before them, armed with a bow, a quiver full of black fletchings and a scabbard on his back. And by his side was…Elsa. She was dressed in a black tank top, a dark blue double breasted trench coat, dark grey pants and boots.

"Elsa?" Maui couldn't believe his eyes too, and neither could Tracy.

The Snow Queen was silent and unflinching, looking straight ahead at her target, the last Elemental Sorcerer. Her usual purple eyeshadow now gave her an ominous appearance to match her disposition, which the Warriors were now noticing and it unsettled them terribly.

"Greetings. We meet again," Prometheus gave Maui a nod.

"What have you done to Elsa?" Melody asked through gritted teeth.

"Nothing. She's here of her own accord." Prometheus glanced at Elsa, who stood beside him. "We've come only for Will Daltrey," Prometheus pointed a gloved finger at the teenage boy, who was sweating buckets. "I hope we can end this negotiation without any bloodshed."

"There won't be any negotiation." Melody removed her Hoyt Satori recurve bow that she had slung across her shoulder, and in the same movement, expertly undid the flap on her quiver, exposing a range of green fletchings. Her eyes darting down, she studied the bow in her enemy's hand. _A Martin Panther Recurve Bow._ His bow was almost similar to her old Martin Saber bow, the first one that Major Kane broke, only his looked a lot sturdier and sleeker. It seemed as though it was going to come down to a standoff between her, armed with a Hoyt Satori, and Prometheus, armed with a Martin Panther. A battle between two archers.

"You're right, there won't." Elsa finally spoke up, her voice calm and lofty, precise and cold. "We're taking Daltrey with us."

"Elsa, what-" Maui stopped in mid-sentence, unable to believe that his friend and former Warrior was now working with the mercenary in black.

"What are you doing?" Tracy completed Maui's sentence. "Elsa! You ain't working with the League, are you?"

Elsa gave her a cold glance, before turning her attention back to Will.

"Hand him over to us, and we'll be on our way."

"Not a chance." Melody gripped her bow in her hand. "I don't know what happened to you, Elsa, but now's your chance to help us."

Elsa stared at her with icy blue eyes, and Melody really couldn't tell if Elsa was bluffing or if she really was working with the League. _I really hope it's the former. _When Elsa didn't reply, Melody spoke again.

"Will Daltrey is under our protection. If you want him, you have to go through us."

"I don't wish to fight a girl." Prometheus glanced stoically at Melody through the padded nettings of his black mask. "But I will, if I'm forced to."

"Last chance," Elsa said. "Give us Will Daltrey and we can end this peacefully."

Tracy and Maui stood side by side, blocking their adversaries' only path to the frightened boy. They looked at Melody, who stared straight ahead at Prometheus.

Melody drew an arrow from her quiver slowly and nocked it calmly.

"What are you doing?" Prometheus tightened his grip on his own bow, and reached for an arrow from his own quiver.

"What any archer wants," she raised her bow and drew it back, signalling the start of the battle for the last Elemental Sorcerer. "To see who's better." Her fingers released the draw string, and the arrow catapulted towards Prometheus. As it closed the distance, Prometheus' own arrow met hers, and her arrow was promptly split through the middle in mid-air by his.

Prometheus lowered his bow, and Melody's aqua blue eyes widened in shock. The masked mercenary looked at her unflinchingly, as if to give her a final warning not to engage him. That wasn't going to stop her. Melody ran forward to meet the man with her bow in hand and feigned a low attack with her bow, but then raised her free right fist to land a strike on his masked face. _If archery wasn't going to work on him, then maybe a little hand to hand combat would. _He swiped her hand away quickly before it could even reach near him, and his other palm connected with her collarbone, sending her sliding backwards. Her boots scraped across the floor as she stopped the momentum on solid footing, and glanced at the opponent before her. _That…was unexpected. _

**TRACY**

Meanwhile, Tracy eyes darted to Maui, who nodded slightly, seeming to understand what she was about to do. Ever so slowly, her eyes still on Elsa, she inched backwards towards Will. Suddenly, Elsa raised her palms and aimed them at Tracy and Will, a burst of deadly ice shards rocketing towards them. With lightning speed, Maui stepped in front of them, shielding Tracy and Will with his gigantic frame. The ice bounced off his chest like they were nothing more than ice cubes.

"Go!" Maui bellowed, and with his fish hook in hand, a brilliant flash of light flashed, and the demigod shape-shifted into a large brown serpent. Slithering swiftly on his belly, Maui snaked his way towards Elsa as she continued to fire blasts of ice at him.

Tracy seized the opening that Maui had given her, and conjured a portal of purple mist quickly with the wave of a hand.

"Wh-"

"I'll explain later," she gave Will a hard shove and the boy fell through the portal with a shout, and Tracy jumped in after him, closing the Crossing Point before Elsa or Prometheus could follow.

**MELODY**

Meanwhile, the two archers had taken the fight to the next room. Melody grunted as she slid on her knees with great momentum in an attempt to tackle Prometheus off his vertical base. She always went back to the well with that move, as it never failed to work. However, Prometheus saw it coming and took a great leap backwards, putting distance between himself and her. Now at a safe distance, he lashed out quickly with a kick that would have sent Melody sprawling on her side.

Thankfully, her fast reflexes saved her. Or maybe it was pure instinct. As she saw his leg approaching her face, she bent backwards swiftly and brought her hands down to the ground, and as her hands made contact with the ground and friction slowed her momentum, she used her hands to launch herself backwards. Rolling backwards a safe distance away from Prometheus, she crouched on her feet, staring up at the formidable villain.

_So that didn't work._ She took a moment to reassess the situation, hoping that Prometheus wouldn't take the opportunity to advance on her. She thought back to her battles with Major Kane. The man was big and strong, but she had used his large frame to her advantage. His size made him slower than her, and she had relied on her speed, agility and nimble frame to best him in combat.

_However_, she thought as she stared at the formidable opponent before her. _Prometheus was just as fast as her, if not faster. _It was true. Prometheus was tall and well built, but he was extremely quick as well, which was something Melody hadn't expected from him. And his agility shocked her too. Nevertheless, she would fight harder. She always had. This was definitely not the same as the National High School Games, but her mindset and spirit remained the same. She would find a weakness and exploit it. Melody looked up at her opponent. All she had to do was find the slightest weakness.

Launching herself off the ground, she gripped her bow tightly in hand, and brought it up in an uppercut towards Prometheus' midsection. He brought his own bow down in a parry before bringing it up with lightning speed to catch Melody on her chin with his riser. Unable to react fast enough, she took the full force of the blow and stumbled backwards a little before regaining her footing quickly.

_Okay, this calls for a change in strategy._ She put her bow down on one of Will's handmade tables, and Prometheus did the same. She was going to need both hands if she was going to take this man down. It was time to switch to a different style that she excelled in. Raising her guard, she relaxed her shoulders and stared straight ahead at Prometheus, who mirrored her stance calmly, as if acknowledging the change in style. Somehow, she knew she wouldn't be surprised if the mercenary would be proficient in that too. She just had to hope that she was better.

Inching closer to him, she attempted to circle round him as best as she could in the tight space. They had picked a poor spot for a fight as it was too small and cramped, not that it seemed to matter to Prometheus. She glanced at him and noticed that the scabbard still hung on his back. Thankfully, he hadn't thought to use his sword. In this cramp space, he would have been able to cut her down with ease, or maybe he was still taking it easy on her, not wanting to kill her off. As she circled him, she wondered what kind of sword a man like him would use. _Major Kane had used a Falchion in his quest. Maybe Prometheus fancies a thinner blade. _

Without warning, Prometheus threw a lightning quick jab that she managed to smack away at the last moment. One nanosecond too late, and that jab would have sent her reeling. It was time to use another old tactic. One that had never failed before in a fight. She had used the combination back during the Games against her final opponent, and it had been instrumental in winning her the match.

Left hook to the ribcage, and when his upper body would fold to the left in reaction to the pain which left his right side open, she would deliver a right uppercut across the jaw. As he faltered, she would give a final push kick that would send him tumbling backwards at full force. Then, with him off his vertical base, she could pummel him into submission or unconsciousness.

Melody inched closer, confident that the technique would yield some results at the very least. When she was at a close enough range, she dropped and lashed out with a vicious left hook. Prometheus faded to the side, avoiding the blow to his ribcage. Nevertheless, Melody pressed on with the next move, determined that at least one of the moves in the combination would find its mark. Right uppercut. Prometheus brought both hands down together before her right fist could reach anywhere in the vicinity of his jaw.

And the last move. She launched a push kick, although that was now futile since he was nowhere near off-balance or stunned. Prometheus brought his right leg up diagonally and her boot caught the meat of his calf, which didn't do much damage. _This time_, she noted, _he had relied on his superior strength to counter her push kick_. Then, as quickly as he had brought his right leg up to counter, he brought his right leg down back to a strong foundation. Immediately his left leg rocketed off the ground and delivered a solid roundhouse kick to her while she still had her left leg off the ground, which knocked Melody clean off her footing.

She was sent sprawling on her side, and narrowly rolled out of the way as a heavy boot slammed down inches away from her face. Getting back up was harder this time, but she wasn't ready to throw in the towel yet. Panting, Melody kept her eyes trained on Prometheus as perspiration streamed down her face and her head throbbed from the roundhouse kick she had taken. She wiped a drop of blood from her lips. This was going to be _way_ harder than she thought.

Writer's Commentary:

This was immensely fun to write. Arriving in a completely new landscape, our Warriors are trying to find the Last Elemental Sorcerer. But who is he? What is he like? Is he a big, scary, powerful wizard who can crush them all in a single stroke? No. He's a lanky teenage boy who's a bit of a wimp.

When I was thinking of Will Daltrey's character, I wanted to write something fun. What's the use of having so many skilled sorcerers? Then it's just gonna be battle after battle, fierce and dangerous. What if one of the targets is actually pretty much useless? So instead of him helping anyone, the Warriors have to protect him instead. It'll get more fun in the next chapter to see how the Warriors keep Daltrey away from the League.

Also, this is where Melody meets her first real challenge. In the past, fighting Major Kane was the hardest thing she had to do. But now, Major Kane seems like a dream compared to fighting Prometheus. He can match her shot for shot, and blow for blow, and it does make him so much scarier, doesn't it? Melody pulled a few of her best moves on him, but it doesn't even faze him. Can he even be beaten?


	16. Chapter 15: The Battle of Quodrun

Chapter Fifteen

The Battle of Quodrun

**ANNA**

From the rooftop, everything seemed to be peaceful. No sign of the League just yet. Anna gazed out over the rooftops, continuing her watch over the cluster of buildings where the last Elemental Sorcerer was supposedly located. Kristoff kept watch on the adjacent side, and all things looked peaceful on his front as well. However, although things appeared to be calm, she had a bad feeling about what was about to happen.

Kristoff noticed the unsettled look on her face. He took her hand, and smiled at her, squeezing her hand reassuringly. She smiled back, but her outward appearance did not accurately portray how she was feeling. Normally, she would peg herself as an optimist, but given recent events, things weren't looking too good. Especially since all clues pointed to Elsa helping the League even before she disappeared. The fact that the Augbine Herbs weren't accounted for after the attack had been thwarted certainly couldn't be ignored. _Could Elsa really have turned evil? Even before she had disappeared?_ Anna shook her head, trying to get the thought out of her head. _No. Elsa was NOT evil._ Even though she had never really managed to spend time with her sister over the years and had only just been reunited a few months back, she knew that her sister couldn't have gone off the deep end. _Not Elsa. _

"Don't worry," Kristoff said, as if he had just read her thoughts. "She hasn't gone dark. I've known Elsa a much shorter time than you have, but I'm sure."

"Well, that's debatable," Anna replied. "I feel like I've only just begun to know her after all these years, and now there's this."

"What does your gut tell you?"

"That my sister wouldn't align herself with the League."

"Then trust that feeling." He gave her a comforting smile. "We may have known the real Elsa only for a short time, but we know for a fact she's on our side."

Anna mustered a grin. The mountain man was usually one who put on a strong and rough front, and it was nice to see he had a tender side. One that he revealed only to her. She squeezed his hand to show her gratitude.

That tender moment was abruptly interrupted by a tiny explosion of purple mist, and a Crossing Point opened up in between the couple.

"Wha-" a boy was pushed out of the portal and he stumbled across the rooftop unceremoniously.

"Bad news. They're here!" Tracy screeched, leaping out of the Crossing Point and hurriedly closing it behind her with the clench of a fist.

"The League?" Kristoff asked.

"Who else?!"

"But how?" Anna blinked. "We didn't see anyone from up here. They couldn't have gotten past us!"

"The League must have someone with the same powers as me." Tracy explained hurriedly.

"Wh-" Kristoff was at a loss for words. He turned to the bewildered boy. "Who's this?"

"Meet Will Daltrey."

"This…this is Will Daltrey?"Confused, Anna looked at the boy on the ground. He was not who she had in mind. _At all. _

"I know we were all expecting a fearsome, tall, handsome and powerful Elemental Sorcerer who could help us turn the tide in the battle against the League of Sorcerers." Tracy rattled off quickly, glancing humourlessly at the boy who pushed up his spectacles, his eyes wide and his curly hair unkempt. "But yeah, this is what we got."

"Who are you people? What's going on?" Will looked around at the new faces. "How did we get up here?" He looked down from the rooftop and was spooked by the height.

"Will," Anna grabbed the boy by his shoulders and spun him round to face her. "My name's Anna, and this is Kristoff. And you've met Tracy. We're here to protect you from the League."

"A man in a black mask and a girl. They-they were in my home!" Will turned to look at his estate from the rooftop. "How did we get up here?"

"Listen!" Anna shook the boy and his spectacles jiggled about dangerously, his arms swinging like a rag doll's. "The League is here in Quodrun for you. You're going to have to stick with us. It's the only way you're getting out of this in one piece."

"Anna, there's more." Tracy said urgently, and the girl turned her attention to her. "Listen, you're not gonna believe this. I myself didn't, but I saw it with my own eyes-"

"What are you talking about?" Kristoff asked impatiently.

"Elsa!" Tracy burst out. "She's here! With the man in the black hood!"

"What?" Anna couldn't believe her ears. "She's here with Prometheus?"

"She teleported into the house with him, and she's fighting Maui and Melody now!"

"No no no no…" Anna staggered backwards, shaking her head in denial of what she had just heard and ran a hand through her strawberry blonde hair. "No, it can't be!"

"Look!" Kristoff himself was disoriented by the shocking news but he knew they had to focus on their current task, which was protecting Will. "We'll deal with that later. Right now we have bigger problems at hand!"

Just then as if on cue, another portal opened on the opposite building that was not far from them, and the Warriors spun round to face it. This portal consisted of dark red mist which bubbled ominously, and four figures emerged. Three of them looked like they were about the same age as the Warriors themselves. Anna studied them. The boy and one of the girls looked like they were from the East, and she couldn't place the other girl's features. Behind them stood a woman who looked middle-aged. She wore a black cloak which hooded her greying hair, and she had green deep set eyes that Anna did not dare to look directly at. There was something about the woman that unsettled her.

Suddenly, the road on the street below them began to rumble, and it eventually broke apart, the fragments of bitumen floating off the ground and into the air. More and more bits of the road detached from the ground and they all rose to the height of the two rooftops. Then, the various fragments arranged themselves neatly to form a solid bridge that spanned across the two rooftops, and the three teenagers walked across it, followed by the cloaked woman.

"The League of Sorcerers." Anna whispered as they all inched back, watching the four foreigners walk across the bridge that connected the two rooftops.

"Daltrey, get behind us." Kristoff said, and Will hid behind Tracy like a puppy.

The three young sorcerers reached the Warriors' rooftop, and flanked the cloaked woman as she stepped off the bridge and onto the rooftop. The bridge disintegrated into dust and fell away.

"Good evening." The cloaked woman said. "I see you found the Elemental Sorcerer before we did. Very good." She glanced at the Warriors before her. "I am impressed."

"Who are you?" Anna asked.

"It doesn't matter who I am." The mysterious woman smiled. "All that matters is why I'm here."

"You're her. You're the Pilgrim." Tracy narrowed her eyes.

The cloaked woman looked impressed. "You know who I am. Very good."

"Your reputation precedes you." Anna added. "And so do your intentions. We know you're here for the Last Elemental Sorcerer."

"Yes."

"You're not going to get him." Anna said with determination in her voice. "Not like you did with my sister."

The Pilgrim looked amused. "You're Princess Anna of Arendelle."

"You know me?" Anna narrowed her eyes.

"Oh, I've had my eye on you." The Pilgrim smiled. "Your sister and you have become somewhat of a fascination to me."

"What did you do to Elsa?" Anna gritted her teeth, trying to sound ferocious.

"Nothing." The Pilgrim said. "And I promised her that I would not harm you or anyone else," She looked at Will. "If you hand over the Last Elemental Sorcerer."

"You've been collecting them." Kristoff stepped forward. "Why?"

"That's none of your concern, young man. Step aside."

"We're not letting you get to him." Anna said.

"Then it looks like some blood is going to be spilled." The Pilgrim said mildly.

"You know what?"

Everyone turned to look at Tracy, who stood behind with Will.

"Maybe we can all calm down and settle this over some food. I'm sure we'll all make better decisions after a hot meal," Tracy said loudly so that everyone could hear her. "I know this place that sells really goodhot potatoes."

Anna's ears perked up. _Hot potatoes._ Tracy was trying to tell her and Kristoff the plan. Her eyes met Tracy's and she saw the former sea witch wink. _Yup. There was the sign._ She glanced at Kristoff and inched backwards ever so slowly as the sorcerers before them stood confused by the strange remarks.

Then, quick as a flash, Tracy opened up a Crossing Point and gave Will a hard shove through it.

"Would you people stop pushing-" Will's voice faded as he fell into the Crossing Zone.

"Go!" Tracy screeched.

Anna and Kristoff leapt through the Crossing Point quickly as a blast of fire and electricity aimed to cut them both down. Fortunately, they made it safely into the Crossing Zone without any scratches, and the portal closed behind them, shutting them off from the League of Sorcerers.

"Where are we?" Will stood up, looking around at the Crossing Zone in bewilderment.

"No time to explain now." Anna said, and another portal opened up not far away. "Let's go."

Anna, Kristoff and Will emerged from the new Crossing Point that Tracy had conjured up, and found themselves in a dimly lit bar packed with people.

"I-I'm barely old enough to be in here." Will said nervously as he pushed up his spectacles, looking around at the rowdy surroundings.

"Me too." Anna said. "But first time for everything, right?" she turned to Kristoff. "We have to blend in."

Kristoff nodded. "First time in a bar?"

"Yup." Anna said, finding an empty table and plonking herself down on a wooden chair.

"Sit down," Kristoff dragged Will over and the two of them sat down. "We're going to have to order something to avoid looking suspicious."

"Excuse me!" Anna called out to a waiter. "Uh-" She looked at Kristoff, realizing she didn't know what to order in a bar.

"Three glasses of bourbon. One neat, two on the rocks." Kristoff said calmly as if he had ordered it a million times before, and the waiter walked away.

"You sound like you know your way around a bar." Anna was surprised.

"You could say that."

Their drinks arrived and the three of them sipped from their glasses, keeping watchful eyes on the entrance of the bar.

"We left Tracy back there by herself." Anna remarked worriedly.

"Don't worry." Kristoff took a sip from his bourbon. "That girl looks like she can handle herself in a fight."

**TRACY**

"That was a mistake." The Pilgrim's face remained unchanged at the turn of events.

"You gotta admit. It was a pretty genius plan." Tracy said, her hands at her waist level and ready to fight.

"It's futile. I will find him. It's only a matter of time."

"Oh yeah?" Tracy said dramatically. "You're going to have to get through me first."

"She's stalling." The Pilgrim smirked, turning to one of the sorcerers. "Humour her."

The boy nodded, and stepped forward. The Pilgrim inched backwards to watch, and the two girls flanked their leader's side.

"Hey man." Tracy sized the boy up. He was of decent height and build, and he had a calm look on his face. "What's your name?"

Silence.

"Cool. I'm Tracy. Former sea witch, member of the Warriors, protector of the Last Elemental Sorcerer." Tracy knew she had to stall for as long as she could. She wondered if Anna and Kristoff had blended into the bar she had sent them to. _Hopefully they had, otherwise this would have been all for nothing. _

Without warning, a brick from the parapet dislodged itself and hurtled towards Tracy. She raised a hand and blasted the brick with a purple wave of black magic. The brick disintegrated into a million pieces and fell to the ground.

"That all you got?" She taunted the boy, and immediately wished she hadn't. _He's an Elemental Sorcerer too_, she thought in horror. How long was she going to be able to last before she was snuffed out?

A small grin escaped the corner of the boy's mouth, and he rotated both palms to face upwards. Two more bricks dislodged from the parapet and flew towards her. Tracy promptly conjured up a Crossing Point in front of her, which swallowed both bricks. Then, with lightning speed, she opened another one behind him, and the bricks emerged and hit his back, causing him to fall forward.

"Jordan!" The Eastern looking girl gasped and attempted to dash to the boy's side, but the Pilgrim extended her hand indifferently to block her from doing so. Without a word, the cloaked woman then pointed to Tracy.

"I'm…sorry?" Tracy said, and raised a barrier of purple energy to block off attacks of electricity and fire. She began to sweat as she held up her shield of black magic. It wasn't going to hold for long. She flinched as the ground beneath her began to cave, and looked up to see that the boy had joined in the assault. The Elemental Sorcerers were too powerful. The only way she was going to make it out alive was if she went on the offensive. _They wouldn't be expecting that. _With a shout, the purple shield of energy increased its perimeter and crept dangerously close to her attackers. The three Elemental Sorcerers ceased their attack and dove out of the way of the black magic.

Tracy broke the barrier of black magic that she was holding over herself, and her eyes surveyed the three Elemental Sorcerers who were on opposite sides. It was time to go while things were still in her favour. She flicked her wrist and a Crossing Point opened promptly behind her. "See ya." Tracy fell backwards through her own portal, and closed it quickly before the League could follow.

Standing up in the Crossing Zone, she heaved a sigh of relief and allowed herself a moment to catch her breath. Somehow, she had managed to survive a confrontation with the Elemental Sorcerers. Now she had to find the rest.

"Foolish child." A voice echoed throughout the Crossing Zone.

Tracy spun round to see who had spoken. _It was impossible!_ The cloaked Pilgrim stood behind her.

"You-"

"Yes. I can access the Crossing Zone." The Pilgrim said.

"You're a _Ha'naeth_ too?"

The Pilgrim smirked. "So you know your heritage. That's good."

"How's this for a little heritage?" Tracy threw a bolt of purple energy at the Pilgrim, who promptly opened a portal of red mist, and the purple energy was swallowed up. With another flick of the wrist, the Pilgrim opened up a second portal behind Tracy, and Tracy was hit by her own black magic, stumbling forward.

The Pilgrim opened a third Crossing Point in front of Tracy's feet, and as she stumbled forward, she fell through the Crossing Point that her opponent had conjured up. A fourth Crossing Point was conjured high above, and Tracy fell through it, landing hard on the floor of the Crossing Zone. Then, without giving her a chance to stand, the Pilgrim raised her palm towards herself, and Tracy found herself lifted off the ground, her body immobilized by the swirls of dark red energy that encircled her.

Tracy squirmed, trying to break free by harnessing her own black magic. The purple energy was promptly vanquished by that of the red, and Tracy levitated above the ground in front of the Pilgrim, who smiled calmly.

"What's your name?" The Pilgrim asked.

"Tracy." She said in a forced manner, finding it incredibly hard to speak when her entire body had been immobilized.

"You have so much potential, Tracy."

"Yeah? You know it's funny," she swallowed hard, trying to speak. She could feel the Pilgrim's black magic slowly crushing her body. "The last bad guy said the same thing. Wanna guess what happened to him?"

"Amusing." The Pilgrim looked impressed. She released her hold on Tracy and the girl collapsed to the ground in a heap. "You remind me of myself. Many years ago when I was still my master's young apprentice. So full of hope and spunk." She watched as Tracy curled up in a ball, her body wrecked with pain. "So much raw power, but no clue how to maximise your potential."

"Save it," Tracy managed a weak response, her entire being feeling like she had been placed in a garbage crusher. "I'm not interested."

"Oh, I'm not recruiting. Not anymore, at least." The Pilgrim knelt down beside Tracy. "But truth be told, under different circumstances or perhaps in another life, I would have taken you under my wing. You would have made a great Pilgrim." She got back up and took a step back. A portal of red mist opened, and the three Elemental Sorcerers stepped through it.

"Come." The Pilgrim conjured up yet another Crossing Point, and the four walked through it briskly.

As the portal closed and Tracy was left alone in the Crossing Zone, the former sea witch laid on her back, breathing hard. With much effort, she conjured up a Crossing Point beneath her, and she fell through it a few inches onto the rooftop that she had originally escaped from. Lying on the hard concrete, she closed her eyes and let unconsciousness wash over her.


	17. Chapter 16: Fall of the Warriors

Chapter Sixteen

Fall of the Warriors

**ELSA**

Another blast of ice rocketed towards Maui, but he avoided it, slithering across the floor toward her. Elsa back-pedalled and found herself cornered. The large brown serpent sprang and wrapped himself around her body, squeezing her tightly.

"Come on, Elsa," The snake hissed. "This isn't you!"

Elsa bit back the impulse to tell him that she had no choice.

"I don't know why you're doing this. Maybe you think yourself too far gone. But remember what you told me back in the North Pole when you had to break Kane's grip on my mind?" Maui maintained his firm hold on the Snow Queen. "You're not a monster to me." He said.

Elsa resisted the urge to tear up, and instead focused on Anna. _Remember._ She was doing all this for the greater good. To keep Anna safe from the truth. To keep her away from the League. She had Ingrid's word that no harm would come to her sister as long as she played by the rules. Her body grew increasingly colder, until ice began to form on her skin.

Maui's scales were bitten and grew painfully numb from the cold, and he was forced to release his grip on Elsa. A shockwave of ice burst forth from her being, which threw Maui backwards. Advancing out of her corner, she stalked towards the snake, who stayed low to the ground, ready to strike again. The snake then shape-shifted into a wolf, and he growled at her. Elsa saw Maui bare his teeth, as if warning her not to engage. Her heart ached. It pained her to have to fight her former teammates. Yet, she could not show it. She had to keep up appearances for her sister's sake.

Harnessing that pain and anger, she felt a storm rising within her. The entire living room grew cold and ice started to form on the floor, the walls, and stalactites grew on the ceiling. Maui leapt out of the way as the ground beneath him began to be overcome with sharp ice. A snow storm raged within the small house, and Elsa let it grow stronger by the second, watching as Maui shape-shifted back into his natural form, digging his large fish hook into the ground to avoid being blown away.

She narrowed her eyes as she heard him bellow her name again. This time he sounded desperate, like he knew he was losing the battle. She would seize the advantage. _The goal_, she reminded herself, _was to get in and out without having to hurt her friends_. This was a challenge, since she had to keep up the impression to the former Warriors that she had defected, but yet keep the injuries to a minimum. _It was time to end the fight._

Pulling the snow storm back into herself, the ice subsided and the stalactites retreated back into the ceiling. For a moment, the room fell silent without the cold winds blowing everything in its path. Then, as the snow storm reentered her body, she threw her hands out at Maui, and the sheer energy and intensity of the snow storm roared out of her in the form of a more conventional volley of ice.

Before Maui could react, the ice hit him with an impact that sent him flying towards a wall. He crashed through the wall and landed up in the bathroom, still taking the full force of her attack. Elsa walked towards him, the ice still flowing freely and intensely from her hands, encasing the fallen demigod in a solid block of ice. _Elsa_, she heard him whisper as he became fully trapped and immobilized in the ice. Only when she was sure he couldn't escape and was completely frozen over did she stop the steady stream of ice and drop her hands.

Elsa quickly turned away and walked out of the room, and only then did she allow her eyes to water a little. It pained her to have to freeze him, and she couldn't let Maui see her break character. Who knew if he was still conscious and watching her from within his prison of ice? She blinked back the tears and shuddered. Now she had proven her friend wrong._ I am a monster. _

Over on the other side, she could hear Melody and Janus still fiercely engaged in hand to hand combat. She walked over to the entrance of the room to see the two combatants locked in each other's grip within the tight confines of the small room. Elsa watched helplessly as Janus got the better of the exchange, locking his leather clad elbow around the back of Melody's neck. The Warrior kicked at Janus' shin and twisted free, only to receive another nasty hook to the ribcage. Melody keeled over, and it was evident that she was running out of stamina. Janus, on the other hand, looked like he still had a lot left in the tank.

As a baiting action, she reached out for her bow that had fallen from the table during the fight, and Janus lifted a leg to kick her hand away from the bow. As he was only balanced by one leg, she took the split second to bury herself into his midsection, pulling him to the ground. She got on top of him and buried punches into his stomach and his chest as Janus raised both hands to protect his head. For a moment, Elsa thought that Melody had regained the upper hand. However, Janus grabbed her wrists mid punch and rolled over to land a few strikes of his own.

After taking a few slugs, she managed to roll out of the way and got back to her feet with much difficulty, and blocked a roundhouse kick from Janus that would have dislocated a few of her ribs. The speed of his vicious attack made her stumble and she struggled to put distance between herself and the mercenary. However, his blows were relentless. Elsa winced as she watched him follow up with a series of blows in quick succession that weakened Melody's defences considerably. There was a fine balance between malice and grace to Janus' movements that frightened Elsa. Clasping her hands over her mouth, she watched Janus begin to dismantle Melody methodically.

Weakly, Melody leapt backwards away from the mercenary and gathered herself for a second, clutching her bruised ribs. It was clear to Elsa that the fight was coming to an end, and she already knew without a doubt who would emerge the victor. Melody narrowed her eyes and steadied her heavy breathing before sprinting towards Janus with every ounce of strength she had left. Elsa looked on with dread as she sprang up in a running knee that was supposed to find its mark in Janus' sternum. He blocked it quickly with both hands, and Melody drew dangerously close to him in a last ditch effort. She clasped her hands around his hooded neck and pulled him down as best as she could, driving her knee up again twice in desperation, but it was blocked two more times. From his protective stance, Janus swept his arms outward in an explosive manoeuvre which broke Melody's hold over his neck, and slammed both forearms into her temples.

The disoriented girl lifted both hands weakly, and lashed out again, this time much slower and sloppier. Janus blocked the right cross neatly with his elbow and Elsa could hear the sickening crack of bone meeting bone. As Melody made a desperate swing at him with her other hand, Janus grabbed it and twisted her arm, causing her bend over in reaction to the pain. He forced her to to the ground, and delivered a quick knee to the side of her cheek that sent her face first to the ground.

Squirming, Elsa gritted her teeth as she saw Melody hit the ground face first. Elsa herself could almost feel it as if it was her arm that had been twisted viciously before getting kicked in the face, and imagined that it must have been a thousand times worse for her former teammate. Janus stood over his fallen opponent silently, making sure she didn't get up. Mercifully, she didn't.

"Let's go." Janus picked up his bow and looked at Elsa who stood in the doorway.

"You didn't have to do that." Elsa said indignantly.

"She wasn't going to stop fighting till she dropped. I had to end it as quickly as I could." She could almost hear a tinge of remorse in his voice, something she didn't expect from the hardened mercenary.

"Was that all really necessary though?" Elsa glared at him.

He avoided eye contact with Elsa. "Come on. We need to regroup with the others."

Elsa took one last look at her fallen friend before walking out of the room. Truth be told, she could see that Janus had taken it easy on Melody at first, but when it was clear that she wasn't going to back down, he had to quickly beat the fight out of her as time was being wasted. Elsa didn't know much about hand to hand combat, but she knew that Janus had beaten Melody in a clean fight.

ANNA

"Where's Tracy?" Anna looked at the entrance of the bar again. "She should've regrouped with us by now."

"I don't think she made it." Kristoff said grimly, taking another sip from his glass of bourbon. "We should prepare for the worst."

"What about Maui and Melody?"

"We have to assume we're on our own," Kristoff turned to Will. "Do you know how to use your powers at all?"

Will shook his head. "I'm sorry. I don't." He hadn't touched his glass at all in the span of time that they had been sitting at the table, instead opting to wring his hands nervously.

"Terrific." He turned back to Anna. "We might need to make a run for it."

"Run? Run where?" Anna asked. "We don't even know where to go even if we could make it out of the city!"

The door of the bar was kicked open, and the man in the black hood walked in, flanked by the four sorcerers and the Pilgrim. He was dressed in his usual black leather hood and mask, with a bow in his hand and a scabbard on his back.

"We're here for Will Daltrey," Prometheus said in a loud voice. "The rest of you leave, while you still can."

"That's him! He was in my house!" Will gestured at Prometheus frantically. "And that girl!"

"Elsa…" Anna whispered. Tracy was right. Elsa was here in Quodrun, right before her very eyes. She watched as the League of Sorcerers walked through the bar and people began to flee for the exit. Her sister walked by the Pilgrim's side, blending in together with the League of Sorcerers. "No…"

"Anna, we have to hide!" Kristoff said, as he watched the crowd bottle up the exit. "We can't get out without being spotted. Come on." He dragged Will behind the bar counter and Anna followed quickly.

"We can't stay here!" Anna shouted, her voice drowned out above the commotion of the screaming crowd. "We're sitting ducks!"

"We know you're hiding Daltrey." Prometheus said as the last of the locals evacuated the bar and it was left empty. "It's futile to hide. Come out."

One of the sorcerers released a fiery blaze which skimmed over the top of the counter, as if to tell the Warriors that they knew where their prey were.

Kristoff drew a knife from his pocket and unfolded it.

"What are you doing?" Anna hissed. "You're going to get yourself killed!"

"I'll stall them. You find a way to get back to the Warriors." Kristoff began to stand up, and Anna pulled him back down.

"Don't. Please." She pleaded with him. "We'll find another way."

"There is no other way." He gave her a quick kiss and stood up, leaping over the counter top and stood facing the League of Sorcerers. His eyes swept across the faces before him, and they rested on Elsa.

"Elsa," He said. "What have they done to you?"

"Release Will Daltrey to us." Elsa replied coldly. "And we'll leave you unharmed."

"What, is it mind control or something?" Kristoff shot an angry look at the Pilgrim. "Huh? Did you do this to her?"

"I assure you," The Pilgrim said calmly. "She came of her own accord."

"Elsa, is this true?" he turned back to the Snow Queen.

"Yes," she said. "Now hand over Daltrey. We don't want to make a mess."

"What happened to you, Elsa?" Anna sprung up from behind the counter, running forward to Kristoff's side. He held her back, knowing that she was trying to get to her sister. "Please don't do this, Elsa. Please."

ELSA

"It's too late for that. I serve the Pilgrim now." Elsa said, forcefully trying to deny the lump in her throat. It almost brought her to tears, being in a position like that. She had hoped that she wouldn't encounter Anna in Quodrun, but it was too late. Anna had seen her with the League of Sorcerers, and there was no undoing that.

"Enough." Ingrid said sharply. "You wish to defend Daltrey?" she turned to Kristoff.

"Yes." He narrowed his eyes.

"Very well." Ingrid smirked, and nodded at Prometheus. "We will make this a fair fight." She glanced at the four Elemental Sorcerers flanking her, and they backed away.

Elsa inched backwards together with the others, watching as Kristoff and Janus were left in the centre of the bar, surrounded by tables and chairs.

_Get behind the counter Anna_, Elsa heard Kristoff say as he held a knife in an icepick grip. She winced, hoping that Janus would take it easier on Kristoff, seeing how he had dispatched Melody with ease. After all, the rest of the Warriors had already fallen. Tracy, Maui, Melody...they had all been defeated. Only Kristoff and Anna remained.

Janus put down his bow and removed a black double edged dagger, holding it in a saber grip. He looked at Kristoff through the nettings of his mask.

Kristoff stared back, raising his knife and tightening his grip. Elsa noticed that he chose his grip wisely, since he had come from a lifetime of mountain climbing. The way he held the knife seemed to indicate that he was at ease and had done so a million times before. Nevertheless, she knew that Janus was a far superior fighter and hoped that he would spare the mountain man's life.

Lunging, Kristoff slashed at Janus, who moved out of the way without even making contact with him. Elsa let her guard down a little. Janus wasn't intending to kill him, for if he had wanted to, he would have counter-attacked. Instead, it seemed that Janus was holding back, only lifting his dagger to defend against Kristoff's slash and stabs. A minute passed, and Kristoff still wasn't done. He brought the knife down towards Janus, who parried calmly. The knife was twisted out of Kristoff's hand and kicked away. Although Kristoff had put up a valiant fight, Janus hadn't had much of a workout.

Now disarmed, Kristoff swung at Janus but left himself open. The mercenary tossed his own dagger aside as he avoided the attack, moving in behind Kristoff with lightning speed to apply a sleeper hold on him. Slowly but surely, although Kristoff struggled, he eventually faded and slumped to the ground without so much as a scratch on his cheek.

Elsa looked on as Janus picked up his dagger and sheathed it calmly, standing victorious over his second fallen opponent of that night.

"Now, Anna," Ingrid stepped forward. "If you would hand over Daltrey."

Anna had been watching the entire fight, and Elsa had seen her jaw drop as Kristoff held his own against Janus for as long as he could. To be honest, she herself was surprised that Kristoff had lasted that long against Janus. Anna stepped out from behind the counter, with Daltrey following nervously behind her.

Anna caught her eye, but she looked away quickly. She couldn't bear to look her younger sister in the eye, now that she had been seen standing with the League of Sorcerers.

"Do as she says." Elsa said coldly. "The Warriors have fallen. It's pointless to resist."

Anna stared at her in disbelief. "What happened to you, Elsa?" she turned to look at Will, who was cowering by her side, and turned back to Ingrid. "What do you plan to do with him if I agree?"

"That's none of your concern." Ingrid replied. "But it's not like you have a choice, do you?"

Anna stayed silent and watched as the other three Elemental Sorcerers stepped forward to haul Will away.

"Wait, Anna!" Will yelled as he was hauled out of the bar. "You have to help me! Please!"

"Smart girl." Ingrid smiled and looked at Elsa. "Your sister has some sense after all. You and Prometheus leave. I'll like to have a friendly chat with your sister."

ANNA

Anna watched as Elsa and Prometheus nodded at the Pilgrim's command, and turned to join the other sorcerers outside the bar. "Elsa…" she whispered as she watched her older sister leave with Prometheus. She was leaving yet again, and like the rest of the times before, Anna couldn't do anything about it.

The Pilgrim waited till she and Anna were the only ones alone - and conscious - before starting. "I apologize." She nodded at Kristoff who lay motionless on the ground. "I'm sure Prometheus did only what was necessary." She sized Anna up. "I have to say, I am impressed."

"Why?"

"Finding Will Daltrey before we did. You're good."

Anna remained quiet.

"I see that you even brought the _Warriors_ back together." She continued. "You have heart."

"How did you do it?" Anna glared at the cloaked woman.

"Do what?"

"You know what I'm talking about!" Anna almost screamed. "How did you _brainwash_ my sister into joining the League?"

"Like I said, she joined me of her own accord." The Pilgrim answered calmly.

"And why would she do that?"

"Enlightenment."

"Huh?"

"Your sister has seen the bigger picture. She knows that the world is a much bigger, harsher and crueler place." She glanced sadly at Anna. "Unlike you. There's so much you don't know about the world, being boxed up inside the walls of Arendelle."

"I know more than you think."

"Really? Does trying to play hero alongside the Warriors count? It's pathetic." She shook her head sadly. "So much wasted potential."

"Why did you target my sister? Why do you want the Elemental Sorcerers so badly?" Anna was shaking with rage. "You couldn't leave my family alone?"

"It's a lot more complicated than you think."

"Try me."

The Pilgrim shook her head. "You wouldn't get it."

"How long have you been spying on my family?"

"Years, to be frank." The Pilgrim said. "Even before you were born."

Anna was taken aback. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Like I said," The Pilgrim's lips curled upward sinisterly. "There's so much you don't know, even about your own family. You should ask yourself if you've ever really known them at all."

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Anna cried.

"I would love to stay and chat. It's been an honour, Your Highness." The Pilgrim turned to go. "May I offer some advice? Drop it. Return to Arendelle and forget this ever happened. Forget about the League of Sorcerers and live your life."

"You know I can't do that. Not while you have my sister," Anna said through gritted teeth. "We're going to stop you. You have my word."

The Pilgrim chuckled. "Oh, Anna. If your parents couldn't stop me, then how could you hope to stand a chance?"

"What?"

With an explosion of red mist, the Pilgrim vanished, leaving a confused Anna alone in the empty bar.

"Anna!" Tracy called out weakly, stumbling through a Crossing Point. "Where's Daltrey?" she looked around at the empty bar. "What happened?"

"He's gone." Anna said, as she knelt down beside Kristoff, who was still unconscious. She propped him up, placing his head on her thigh. "Come on," she shook him lightly. "Wake up!"

He stirred, but not fully.

"Hang on." Tracy walked over to a table and picked up a pitcher of cold water. She splashed a little of it onto his face, and he woke with a start.

"Whuh-" Kristoff sat up sluggishly.

"Are you alright?" Anna asked anxiously.

"Yeah, I think so." He blinked and looked up at Tracy. "Where were you? We needed you here!"

"I held them off as long as I could," Tracy explained. "But the Pilgrim…she's too strong. She's a _Ha'naeth_ like me."

"A what?" Anna asked as she helped Kristoff to his feet.

"Never mind. No time to explain." Tracy opened a Crossing Point. "We have to find the others. I think they're still in Daltrey's house."

The three Warriors exited from a Crossing Point and stepped into Will's house, which had been badly damaged. It looked like there had been quite a fair bit of fighting, but there was no sign of Maui or Melody.

"Check the rooms!" Anna said and they fanned out. "I've got Melody!" she yelled out as she entered the room where Melody had fought Prometheus.

"And I found Maui!" Tracy stood in the bathroom, staring at the frozen demigod. She held up a hand, and purple streaks of energy sifted through the cracks in the block of ice, cracking it up from the inside. With the aid of her black magic, Maui broke free from the rest of the ice with a thunderous bellow, and fell to the ground, shivering.

"I've…I've never felt so cold before." He shuddered.

"Can you stand?"

"I think so." Maui got to his feet, still shaking from the cold.

"Come on." Tracy put Maui's arm around her shoulder and almost sagged under his weight. She half-dragged him to the other room, and found Anna and Kristoff standing over an unconscious Melody.

"What-" Tracy couldn't believe her eyes. The Warrior who had never been bested in combat before had fallen, and it seemed that she had been defeated quite thoroughly, judging by the state the room was in.

"She put up a fight." Maui said, and breathed out cold air. "But Prometheus…he's too good."

Horrified, Anna knelt down to feel for a pulse. Thankfully, it was there. "She's alive." She said in relief.

"We gotta get her out of here," Tracy said. "She needs a doctor."

"Back to Arendelle. We have some of the best doctors there who nursed Tobias back to health." Anna lifted Melody from the wooden wreckage carefully. "Kristoff, give me a hand."

"Right." He helped Anna to carry Melody out of the room.

Tracy opened a Crossing Point with great difficulty, and they all went through it, leaving a damaged Quodrun behind in their wake.

Writer's Commentary:

This chapter was meant to inspire a hint of despair. Never have the Warriors encountered such strong opposition before. Previously, it had just been Major Kane and his mercenaries. That was hard enough. But this time, they were beaten on all fronts, taken apart methodically by the League.

Melody and Kristoff got decimated by Prometheus, Maui frozen by 'evil' Elsa, and Tracy getting 'outwitched' by the Pilgrim and the Elemental Sorcerers. This is truly a low point for the Warriors. How are they going to recover from this fall now that the League has the Last Elemental Sorcerer?


	18. Interlude

Interlude

The Throne Room

**INGRID**

The Throne Room was dimly lit as always, but for some reason, it seemed drearier than usual this time. The torches hung on the sides of the stone walls, spaced far apart from each other, just like the Knights of Vengeance that stood guard in her room, lining the walls. Dressed in black like their leader, Prometheus, they seemed to blend into the shadows, and it helped that they were silent and unmoving.

Ingrid Grendstav sat on the big chair that looked like a throne, her mind racing. Things had fallen into place, though something had gone wrong._ The Warriors. _They weren't supposed to show up. They weren't even supposed to exist anymore. According to the intelligence she had received from the spies in Arendelle, the Warriors had disbanded months ago. It must have been Anna, the intrepid sister of Elsa, who had put the Alliance back together. Ingrid legitimately had not seen it coming, and thought that she would have gone unopposed in Quodrun.

She leaned back in her throne, a frown coming across her face. Now that the Warriors knew of her existence, things could get incredibly tricky. How did Anna manage it all by herself? Learning the truth about the League's existence and getting the Warriors back together? They had literally been scattered in different countries! Ingrid clenched her fist till the whites of her knuckles showed. Something was wrong. No one was supposed to know about the League's existence.

The Elemental Sorcerers had made a mess in Quodrun, but before they left through a Crossing Point, Ingrid had cast a spell that spread across the entire kingdom, erasing the locals' memories of the past few hours. It was a trick that had been passed down for generations from one Pilgrim to the next to conveniently conceal the League of Sorcerers' involvement in any affairs, and it had always worked. Nonetheless, the Warriors already knew of the League's existence, and really that was all that mattered now.

There was a knock on the door, and a mercenary from the Knights of Vengeance opened the door. Prometheus walked into the room with an air of authority. "Leave us." He commanded, and the Knights obeyed him swiftly, evacuating from the room within seconds, and the door shut behind him. He crossed the large hall and slowed down as he reached Ingrid, and knelt down with one knee to the ground.

"Will Daltrey is secure in a cell." He reported, his voice deep and mechanical from behind the mask that concealed his face. "Things are going according to plan, for now."

"Are they?" Ingrid said dangerously.

"I'm not sure what you me-"

"The Warriors," Ingrid snapped. "They weren't supposed to be in Quodrun!"

"We handled them without any issues."

"Really, Janus?" She snarled. "This was supposed to be a simple operation. In fact, it was supposed to be easier than capturing Elsa! But instead, you made a mess in Quodrun and a fool of yourself."

"My apologies, Mistress." Prometheus said. "But-"

"Take it off."

"Excuse me?"

"Take off that ridiculous thing." Ingrid snarled revoltingly.

Apprehensively, Janus slowly pulled back the cloth hood that covered his brown tousled hair, and reluctantly removed the black mask from his face, placing it on the floor beside him.

Ingrid stared at him. "Every time I see that scar on your face, I'm reminded of your failure and incompetence. Just like you displayed again tonight. You disgust me."

"I'm sorry, Mistress, but I don't understand." Janus said in his own clear baritone voice, shifting uncomfortable at having his face exposed. "No one could have foreseen that the Warriors would reunite and figure out our plans."

"_My_ plan." Ingrid stood up from her throne. "Don't forget, it's your job to make sure you know everything before we head into a mission." She pointed a bony finger at him. "And you failed _miserably_ tonight." She walked over to the kneeling Janus. "Because of _you_, the entire mission was almost compromised. We weren't prepared to face the Warriors."

"But Mistress, we still succeeded." Janus protested. "I know it was my job to get the intel right, but I couldn't have seen this coming. But we still beat them. Prepared or not, the Warriors are no match for the League."

"And one day, that's going to be your downfall." Ingrid said darkly, narrowing her deep set eyes. "You're cocky. You think that just because you've cut down everyone and everything in your path, you're a god?" she spat. "You're nothing more than a talented street rat. I took you in because I saw your potential. But sometimes, I wonder if I made the right choice in hiring you and taking you under my wing."

Janus kept his head down.

"In the past century of conquest as the Pilgrim, I have never encountered a more talented man at my disposal than you," She glanced at Janus quietly. "And I do not wish to lose you. But disappoint me one more time and I will have you cast out like a leper without your fee, and have someone replace you as the commander of the Knights of Vengeance." She walked back to her throne and sat down. "Now I have to clean up _your_ mess and shift up my timetable because the Warriors are onto us."

"I'm sorry. I understand, Mistress." Janus looked up at Ingrid, who had begun coughing. "Mistress!"

Ingrid coughed hard, grasping at her throat. Weakly, she fell from her throne and grovelled on the ground.

Janus stood to his feet and rushed to an oak table at the side of the room where a beaker of lime green liquid stood. He scooped it up and poured it into a regular glass and ran back to Ingrid. He stooped down and handed it to her, and she gulped down the contents of the glass quickly.

"Are you alright?" Janus asked anxiously, watching as Ingrid sat up.

She shook her head weakly. "It's getting worse. We're running out of time. I can feel the potion losing its potency."

"We can find more Augbine Herbs. Increase the concentration of the potion."

"Magic doesn't…work that way." Ingrid said as she attempted to stand and Janus helped her up, holding her arm steadily. "I'm growing weaker. I'm running out of time." She solemnly glanced up at Janus as she sat down again. "Now do you see why the Warriors are a problem?"

Janus nodded.

"With them in the way, they pose a threat to my plan." She went pale and the colour drained from her already dull skin. "What if they stop me before I find what I need?"

"They won't." Janus shook his head firmly. "I won't let them."

Ingrid sighed, and stared straight ahead at the wall.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

Ingrid gazed at the beaker of potion across the room. She was dying. Slowly, but surely. Her lease on life was running out. Cheating death for the past century had not been easy, as Augbine Herbs were rare. The disease she had contracted a few decades ago had been held at bay by the healing properties of the Augbine Herbs combined with her magic, but each time Ingrid had used the potion to heal and restore herself, the potion lost its potency and the disease within her grew stronger.

Soon, the Augbine Herbs would have no more effect on her, and she would wither away, dying like any other mere mortal. But no, Ingrid was determined. She was going to hold on to the title of the Pilgrim and lead the League for at least another century into the future, striking fear into the hearts of the corrupt.

However, if all else failed, at least she had a backup plan. The reason why she had been so obsessed with Elsa was because she saw her potential as an apprentice. For a time, she had thought that Deirdre could become the Pilgrim's Apprentice but then as she watched Deirdre in the field, she realized that she was too rash, too full of hatred and pain which clouded her judgement.

And then there were Jordan and Jade, both of whom did not have what it took to be the Pilgrim's Apprentice. Definitely, their strength and power were not called into question, but they lacked vision, purpose or the immense willpower it took to be her apprentice.

However, when she had learnt that King Agnarr's daughter was an Elemental Sorceress, hope had sparked within her. She kept her spies trained on Elsa, and was increasingly convinced that the young Princess had what it took. And when Elsa had ascended to Queen and accidentally froze her kingdom, Ingrid had seen first hand what raw power she had, and she was overjoyed by the prospect of finally having a worthy apprentice.

"Should I summon Holli?"

Ingrid shook her head. "Gifted as she is, there's nothing she can do to reverse my condition."

"Are you certain?"

Ingrid nodded and changed the topic. "Tell me, how is Elsa?"

" She's…" Janus paused. "Coping. A little shaken after the battle in Quodrun, but she'll be fine."

"I want you to keep a close eye on her. And bring her to me in the morning."

"Are you sure she's the one you've been looking for?"

"Yes." Ingrid narrowed her eyes. "If not, why do you think I granted Tobias a small force after the referendum in Arendelle if I wasn't sure that she would beat him?"

"Tobias was a fool."

"A fool with purpose." Ingrid replied. "He tried his best, but he was no match for Elsa. You've seen her in action for yourself. Tell me, if not Elsa, who better to suit the role of the Pilgrim's Apprentice? Deirdre?"

"I understand, Mistress." Janus put on his mask and pulled the hood over his head. "I'll bring her in the morning." He said in his deep mechanical voice. Bowing, he turned and left the Throne room.

Ingrid watched as Janus left the room. _He had a right to be concerned. _Even though she was going to take Elsa as her apprentice, she knew she needed to keep her guard up. She remembered that more than a century ago, her own master, the Fifth Pilgrim, had let her get too close. A young Ingrid had been given away by her parents as a sacrifice to the League, and her master had taken her in as the Pilgrim's Apprentice. However, as she grew older and more powerful as a _Ha'naeth_, she knew the day was coming when she would be more powerful than her master, and yearned to be the next Pilgrim. Then one day when the time was right, Ingrid turned on him and struck him down in battle.

As her master was dying, he had placed a curse on her. He told Ingrid that one day, an Elemental Sorceress would be the one to end her reign as the Sixth Pilgrim, and ascend to the title of the Seventh Pilgrim. Since that day, Ingrid had kept a close lookout, but then when the time came and she knew that the Augbine Herbs were losing its potency, she had no choice but to rally the Elemental Sorcerers as a part of her new plan to achieve longevity.

All Ingrid had to do was make sure that none of the Elemental Sorceress ever got a chance to usurp the title of the Pilgrim from her. As a _Ha'naeth_, she had slowly influenced their minds and conditioned them to obey her will so that they would have no opportunity in turning against her. However, the same could not be said for Elsa or Will. She simply didn't have the time to condition their minds as time was running out and her plan needed to be executed quickly now that she had the complete set of Elemental Sorcerers.

Ingrid steepled her hands, looking at the beaker of potion. Time was running out.


	19. Chapter 17: Apprentice

Chapter Seventeen

Apprentice

**ELSA**

After a long hot bath in the privacy of her own room, Elsa dried her hair and put on a maroon dress and kitten heels. Somehow, she had found something that fit her in the common wardrobe that belonged to all the sorcerers. To be truthful, she was getting used to life in Swynvort. It was a prison for her, that was for sure, but it wasn't completely unbearable. At least she had people she could talk to and wasn't locked up in the dungeon like Will Daltrey was. _The poor boy._ He was definitely not who she had expected him to be. She tied her hair into her trademark french braid, making a mental note to pay him a visit after breakfast.

As she walked down the stairs to the common hall where the sorcerers were having breakfast, she winced as she felt her legs aching. The battle of Quodrun had been a fierce one, but she had escaped relatively unscathed, save for a few aching muscles. That was nothing compared to what her former teammates had suffered at the hands of the League. Elsa felt extremely guilty and uncomfortable, having stood by while her friends were brought down one by one. She even had a hand in incapacitating Maui! Though she knew that he would eventually escape from the block of ice she had frozen him in, she felt awful all the same. _They must think I'm too far gone by now_, Elsa thought to herself morosely. And yet, she had only been a part of it because she had no other choice. _Ugh, she needed coffee. _

Entering the common hall, she saw Jade and a few others at a table, and they ushered her over to join them. Pulling over a seat, she sat down and forced a smile.

"Morning, Frost. How was your sleep?" Jade asked, pouring a cup of coffee for Elsa.

"Alright, I guess." Elsa sipped from her mug of hot coffee and instantly felt better. She took a slice of bread and began to butter it up. "Though last night was pretty intense."

"Intense? You should have seen the attack on Bergxine a year back. That was a bloodbath." Vonco, the boy with the Molcorran accent, snorted. He was a seventeen year old boy who could travel and disappear through shadows. Though scrawny and somewhat on the short side, he always had Cornelius, the big guy, by his side. Sure enough, Cornelius was at the same table. "There were guts lying in the streets by the end of the night."

"Vonco, we're eating here." Holli said, sticking out her tongue in disgust.

"For a witch doctor, you're awfully squirmy." Vonco grinned. "I thought you would be used to seeing guts by now."

"Drop it, Vonco," Cova said, equally irritated. "Or I'll have spiders climb into your bed tonight while you're sleeping."

"Alright, fine." Vonco rolled his eyes.

Jordan continued eating his breakfast peacefully, looking amused at the entire conversation the entire time. Deirdre, as usual, had a sullen look on her face, though she seemed more vexed than usual this morning. _Maybe it's because I'm at the table_, Elsa thought to herself, glancing at Deirdre.

Jade snickered and took another slice of bread. "Blaze," she turned to Deirdre. "Do me a favour, would you?" She tossed Deirdre her slice of bread.

Deirdre rolled her eyes, and placed a hand underneath it. A light flame toasted it, and the bread slowly turned light brown, sizzling underneath the girl's palm. She handed the hot slice back to Jade, who beamed at her.

"Thanks," Jade took a bite. "Mmn." She turned to Elsa with her mouth full. "So, how's life in the League so far?"

"It's great, actually." Elsa lied. "I feel like I've really found a home here." She thought she heard Deirdre snort, but decided to ignore it.

"Cool," Vonco said. "Before you got here, a lot of us were actually excited to hear you were coming." He turned to Cornelius. "Right?"

Cornelius grunted, and Elsa assumed that it meant yes.

"It's true," Cova added. "Many of the girls were shocked. They've all heard of the Great Freeze in Southeastern Norway."

"Ah." Elsa's cheeks started to colour. "That…was an accident, really."

"You sure?" Deirdre muttered.

Elsa turned to her. "It _was_." She stressed, trying to keep her tone neutral. "But everything's alright now," She turned back to Jade. "But do you have any idea why the Pilgrim needs the Elemental Sorcerers so badly?"

"I don't know," Jade said, her mouth full of bread. "She rarely tells us anything, apart from the missions she sends us on."

"What happened in Quodrun yesterday?" Holli asked. "I heard things went pretty wild."

"Well, we ran into some unexpected resistance." Jade began. "A group of sorcerers and vigilantes. Something like us, actually."

"What?" Cova looked surprised. "You mean there's more of us out there that the Pilgrim doesn't have?"

"Something like that."

"Why were they in Quodrun?"

"Apparently to stop us." Elsa said, trying to keep up appearances.

"Your sister was among them," Deirdre pointed out.

"Ah…yes," Elsa said slowly. "She…has a tendency to make bad choices sometimes."

"They were protecting Daltrey." Jade added.

"Who?" Vonco asked.

"Apparently he's the Last Elemental Sorcerer."

"He seems a bit wimpy, for someone with that much power." Deirdre scoffed.

"Everyone takes time to learn how to control their power." Elsa glanced at Deirdre. "I know I did."

"Yeah, I can tell by how you froze your entire kingdom." Deirdre smirked.

"Hey, wh-" Elsa protested.

"Alright, let's all calm down. We're all friends here." Vonco said quickly.

"Excuse me." Deirdre rose haughtily with an air of false regality, and walked out of the common hall.

"I don't think she likes you very much." Holli said quietly.

"I can tell," Elsa glanced warily at the departing sorceress. "But why? I've never done anything to wrong her."

"Rumour is, she used to be the Pilgrim's Apprentice," Jade explained cautiously, keeping her voice low. "Until the Pilgrim decided to take you in."

"What?" Elsa's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Deirdre knew that you were coming." Cornelius finally spoke up, his voice gruff. "She was scared that the Pilgrim would cast her aside in favour of you. And she did."

"Why me? I didn't ask to be the Pilgrim's Apprentice!" Elsa's eyes grew wide.

"The Pilgrim has high hopes for you." Cova said. "She wouldn't have stopped training Deirdre otherwise."

"Wh-" Elsa was speechless.

"That's why Deirdre's so mad." Jade said solemnly. "Though it's really not your fault."

"Jordan overheard that the Mistress is going to start training you today," Vonco added. "Prometheus is going to come fetch you." He turned to Jordan. "Right?"

Jordan nodded, glancing at Elsa.

"What?" A stunned Elsa looked around the table at serious faces. "Why does she need to train an Apprentice?"

"Because," Jade lowered her voice. "The Pilgrim is dying."

Elsa's deep blue eyes widened. "Are you sure?"

"We heard rumours." Jade continued. "And we've seen how she collapses and coughs out blood, and saves herself with a green potion that restores her health."

"But she's getting weaker, that's for sure." Vonco said, and the rest nodded in agreement.

"It makes sense that the Pilgrim will want to train a young successor. You know, in case her plan doesn't work out." Holli said.

_It was too Willy in the morning for this._ "I-excuse me." Elsa rose from the table and left her bread behind half-eaten, walking out of the common hall in a daze.

"Frost!" Jade shoved the rest of the bread into her mouth and jumped up to follow her. "Elsa, wait!" She caught up with Elsa outside the common hall where it was much quieter. "Are you okay? You look paler than usual. And that's seriously saying something."

"Jade, this is madness." Elsa looked at her. "I can't be the Pilgrim's Apprentice!"

"That's not really your choice, Frost." Jade said apologetically.

"Look," Elsa took a deep breath. "The truth is, I don't belong here," She said quietly. "I've been taken against my will and blackmailed into joining the League."

"I-" Jade was at a loss for words. "I-don't know what to say."

Silence reigned for a minute in the corridors where Jade and Elsa stood, the chatter from the common hall in the background.

"I'm sorry, Elsa." Jade began softly. "You're just going to have to go along with it. It's all any of us can do."

Elsa looked downcast, and sighed. "I just want my sister to be safe."

"That I can understand." Jade gave her a small smile.

"Look, I'm going to go check on Daltrey." Elsa said after a long pause. "Do you want to come with me?"

"I'm not so sure that's a good idea." Jade said uncomfortably. "The Pilgrim wouldn't want you doing that."

"She doesn't have to know." Elsa said firmly. "He's just a kid. He's as scared as I was when I was brought here, and I just want to make sure he's alright."

Jade looked at Elsa worriedly. "Then you better hurry. Prometheus is coming to escort you to the Pilgrim soon."

"Thanks." Elsa parted with Jade, walking quickly towards the direction of the dungeons on the lower levels of Swynvort Tower. She walked down the stone staircase to the lower levels and winced a little when she remembered how she had cut her feet on the sharp stones. It got a whole lot darker as she descended down the steps, and the basements were lit by a few torches spaced out along the rocky walls. Briskly treading through the narrow passageway that led to the cells, Elsa remembered being locked up in one of them not more than a few days ago, and shuddered.

As she pattered down the cells towards the one Will was locked in, she wondered how the boy must be feeling, far away from his home kingdom of Quodrun. She herself had felt absolutely awful, being stuck in a foreign land far northwest and incarcerated in a dungeon. Reaching the second cell at the end of the passageway, she stopped outside it, hesitating. She didn't know how Will would react to her arrival. After all, it had been Janus and herself who had tossed him into the cell when they had arrived back in Swynvort. Granted, she had been under orders from Ingrid, but Will didn't know that. To him, she was just another hostile witch, like the rest. It was time to change that perception. She rapped on the steel door of the cell, and the sound echoed throughout the dungeons.

"Gahh!" A yelp came from inside the locked room, and Elsa was slightly taken aback. She inched closer to the steel door, tiptoeing to look through the steel bars near the top of the door.

"Daltrey? It's me. I came to talk." She said cautiously.

"What do you want from me?" From outside the cell, Elsa could see that Will recognized her, and got up from his bed.

"Nothing. But I can't say the same for the Pilgrim."

"Why did you people bring me here?" Will walked towards the door, looking at Elsa through the steel bars. He was lanky, and could see her through the bars without the need to tiptoe. "I can't do anything for you!"

"Look, I just came to check in on you," she said. "I'm sorry about throwing you in here last night, but I had no choice."

"No choice?" Will sounded indignant, with a hint of fear in his voice. "You're one of them! The League of Sorcerers!"

"Will!" She said impatiently. "I'm no better than you. I was captured too, and blackmailed into joining them. I had no choice but to toss you in here." She lowered her voice. "Otherwise the Pilgrim would have harmed my sister."

There was a brief silence from the other side of the door, and then Will finally spoke. "Who are you?"

"My name is Elsa, Queen of Arendelle."

"The Snow Queen?" There was astonishment and awe in his voice, and Elsa couldn't decide if that was a good or bad thing.

"Yeah."

"You have elemental powers. Like me."

"I do." Elsa said. "And I'm on your side."

"Can you…get me out of here?" Will sounded hopeful.

Elsa shook her head apologetically. "I don't have the keys. Only Prometheus has them."

"Who?"

"The man who was with me," She explained. "The one in the hood and mask."

"Oh." Will said fearfully. "Is he coming back?"

"I don't think so. Not yet at least."

"You have to help me," Will clutched the rusty steel bars desperately. "I can't stay here. I have to get back to Quodrun."

"And I have to get back to Arendelle." Elsa said, looking Will in the eye. "But we can't. We're stuck here for the moment. I'm still a prisoner here too. The only difference is I'm on the outside of this door." She heard footsteps at the end of the passage striding towards the cell, and she backed away from the bars hurriedly.

"Look, I have to go. Someone's coming. But I'll see you again. Promise." Elsa reassured him, and walked back the way she came. As she turned the corner, she bumped into Janus, who as usual, wore his cloak, hood and mask.

"What are you doing here?" She asked first before he could say a word.

"I came to find you but you weren't in the common hall." Janus said. "And you weren't in your room either. The only other logical place was down here." He looked at her. "What were you doing?"

Elsa remained silent, refusing to answer and avoiding eye contact with him.

"You came to see Daltrey, didn't you?"

"So what if I did?" Elsa said defensively.

"You know you're not allowed to do that. The Pilgrim would be displeased."

"So now what? You tell Ingrid I came down here and I get thrown back into a cell beside Daltrey?"

"No," Janus said quietly. "I won't tell her."

Elsa looked up at the tall mercenary, who met her stare through his mask. She went back and forth in her mind before deciding to open her mouth.

"I know who you are." She said. "Ingrid told me everything. I'm sorry."

"You're not supposed to know," Janus' voice rose a little, and Elsa guessed that it was in fear. "No one's supposed to know."

"It doesn't matter." Elsa said firmly. "I know that behind the guise of Prometheus, behind that mask, you're just a man who's been through an entire childhood of pain. More than any person should have to bear in their lifetime."

"What…what are you trying to say?"

"That you're not a monster," She echoed the words that Maui had once told her. "Not to me." She paused and looked into his eyes. "You had a chance to hurt me back in Arendelle, and on the beach too, but you didn't because you have a heart. I know that deep down, you know this is wrong. That the Pilgrim is wrong."

Janus looked away. "It's too late for that." He said quietly, and then turned back to Elsa. "Let's go." Resolve returned to his voice, and he took her arm firmly. "The Pilgrim is waiting for you."

He forced her into a walk, and led her up the stairs and out of the dungeons. As they walked through the halls and meandered through the various passages that led to the Throne Room, Elsa stole a glance at Janus. It was impossible to read his expressions or thoughts since they were concealed by the mask, but that was the whole point in the first place. She hoped that a part of what she had said to him had gotten through to the hardened mercenary who seemed to have a bit of a soft spot for her. She was going to have to capitalize on that. The door of the Throne Room was opened for her and she was ushered into the Pilgrim's presence, and she noticed that the walls of the room were lined with the mercenaries she had encountered in Arendelle: the Knights of Vengeance.

"Good morning Elsa." Ingrid sat on her throne. "How was your sleep?"

"I know you want me to be your apprentice." Elsa set her jaw. "I won't."

"So you've heard. The word spreads fast." Ingrid sounded amused. "Janus, take your men and wait outside."

"Yes, Mistress." He bowed, and signalled for his men to leave their posts. The door closed behind them, leaving only Elsa and Ingrid alone in the huge Throne Room.

"Elsa, listen to me." Ingrid stood up from her throne. "You're a woman of remarkable power. With the proper grooming, you will be the most powerful and feared sorceress on the planet. The Pilgrim's Apprentice. Surely that's bigger than just being the Queen of Arendelle?"

"I don't want what you have to offer." Elsa said bluntly. "All I want is for my sister to be safe. That's the only reason why I agreed to all of this."

"And Anna will be," Ingrid assured her. "But honestly, you don't have much choice in the matter. I know I didn't."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you think that I was the only person to ever hold the title of the Pilgrim?" Ingrid chuckled. "No. There have been five others before me across the centuries. And they've all had apprentices who eventually claimed the title, and none of them ever had a choice in being chosen as an apprentice."

Elsa stared at her incredulously.

"I was taken from my home against my will when I was still a child. My parents gave me away to the League as a sacrifice in exchange for being left alive," Ingrid began to explain. "I was a _Ha'naeth_, a powerful type of sorceress that the fifth Pilgrim wanted. He took me into the League and trained me as his apprentice in the dark arts. Over the years, my powers grew to a capacity I never knew possible, and I thanked my master for taking me in."

Ingrid paused and walked towards Elsa. "You may not understand now, or thank me. But some day, you will."

"What happened to your master?" Elsa asked.

Ingrid smiled. "How do you think I ascended to the title?"

Elsa narrowed her eyes. "You killed him to take his place."

"Don't get any ideas." Ingrid said darkly. "Apprentices usually ascend to the title of the Pilgrim eventually, but I don't intend to be dethroned any time soon. Not for a long time. I just want a general by my right hand to execute justice on my behalf without having to rise from this throne."

"I know you're dying," Elsa replied. "So getting the Augbine Herbs, capturing me, Will and the rest of the Elemental Sorcerers, it's all a part of your plan to survive?"

Ingrid hesitated for a moment before she spoke.

"It's true," she nodded at a beaker over at the far end of the room. "The Augbine Herbs have kept me alive for more than a century, enabling me to rule the League as the Pilgrim for longer than I should have been able to. But each time I use them to heal or bring myself back from the brink of death, they get less effective and I move one step closer to permanent death."

"But you have a plan. Otherwise you wouldn't have gone through all this trouble to assemble all the Elemental Sorcerers. What's your endgame?"

Ingrid smiled dubiously. "Not yet, my dear. Not yet." She folded up the long sleeves of her grey cloak. "Shall we begin?"


	20. Chapter 18: The Plot Thickens

Chapter Eighteen

The Plot Thickens

**ANNA**

"Your Highness." A palace servant knocked on the door of the drawing room and poked his head in. "You asked to be notified when your guest awoke."

"She's up?" Anna sprang to her feet, and the rest of the Warriors stirred. After arriving back in Arendelle's castle courtesy of Tracy's black magic, they had rushed Melody to the doctors, and then collapsed in a heap in the drawing room, exhausted from the crushing defeat they had been dealt by the League of Sorcerers. It was only now, the next morning, that the Warriors had begun to wake, and it was only because the palace servant had come with the news.

"Yes, Your Highness. She's in the Infirmary."

The Warriors followed the palace servant who led them to the East Wing where the infirmary was, and they rushed into the room to see Melody finally awake.

"Melody!" Maui sounded relieved.

"Princess!" Tracy rushed to her side and gave her a hug. "You're up!"

"Ow ow ow." Melody winced. "Ease up on the ribs. The doctor said they're cracked."

Anna looked at her. Her cheeks were bruised and swollen, her chin cut, and she looked incredibly banged up. "How are you feeling?"

"Terrible." Melody groaned, and attempted to swing her feet off the bed, clutching her ribs. "Anna," She looked at Anna, as if just remembering something important. "Elsa, she-"

"I know." Anna nodded soberly.

"I'm sorry," Melody shook her head. "I had hoped that we were wrong. But I saw her with my own eyes. There was no doubt about it. She was working with Prometheus."

Anna nodded again. "And the League. We saw her. I'm…still having trouble believing it."

"The rest of us too." Kristoff looked morosely at Anna.

"Can you stand?" Maui helped Melody off the bed.

"I think so," Melody hobbled a little, supporting herself on Tracy and Maui. "To be fair, Prometheus gave me a pretty bad beatdown."

"We should get something to eat first before we talk about yesterday," Anna said, walking briskly out of the room. "I'll have the cooks whip something up."

After a decent breakfast of omelettes, bacon and toast, the Warriors sat around the table feeling more refreshed and ready to begin discussing the previous evening's events. Anna had requested that the guards and servants leave them alone in the dining room for as long as the Warriors required. _It wouldn't do for everyone to hear what we have to say. _

"I think we can all agree," Kristoff began cautiously. "That last night was a disaster."

"You got that right, pal." Tracy slurped noisily from her glass of juice. "We never knew what hit us." She glanced at Melody. "Though that might be understating things."

Melody glared at her, and then turned to the rest. "I've never been challenged like that before. Prometheus matched me shot for shot in archery, and blow for blow in combat. In fact," she paused to rub her cheek. "Prometheus was faster and better in every way. No matter what I threw at him, it was like he anticipated every move and had a counter ready for everything."

"You should have pulled out while you could." Anna said, wincing as she looked at Melody. She had taken a really heavy beating and it showed. "The doctor said you were lucky. Hit at spots just shy of pressure points and no bones broken."

"I didn't know I was already beaten," Melody admitted. "Prometheus had every chance to break my bones, but he didn't."

"And can we talk about the Pilgrim?" Tracy said. "She's a _Ha'naeth_ too, just like I am!"

"A what?" Anna asked.

"Her type of sorcery, her black magic, it's the same kind that I harness." Tracy explained. "She could do whatever I could, but way better. I escaped to the Crossing Zone only to find her already there waiting for me."

"We severely underestimated the League." Kristoff added.

"Kristoff, you didn't have to fight Prometheus. We all knew how that would turn out!" Anna said indignantly.

"I had to try," Kristoff argued. "What, were we supposed to just give Will up?"

"One way or another, they would have gotten Will Daltrey. And they did." Anna retorted. "And since when did you learn how to fight with knives? You survived against Prometheus longer than I thought you would."

"Just…got lucky, I guess." Kristoff's cheeks coloured. "He didn't want to kill me either, though he had the chance."

"The League wasn't in Quodrun to kill us or anyone else," Maui said. "They only wanted Will Daltrey. And now that they have him, the Pilgrim can proceed with her plans, whatever they are."

"And we have no clue what she's going to do with the Elemental Sorcerers?"

"Nope," Maui said grimly. "But I think we can all agree that Tobias was right. The Pilgrim did find a way to turn Elsa against us." He looked apologetically at Anna. "I'm sorry, Anna."

"I still don't believe it," Anna shook her head. "She's my sister. I _know_ her."

"Anna, as much as I hate to say it, we have to face facts." Melody said quietly. "You've seen her with your own eyes."

"No, that's not Elsa. Deep down I know my sister is still inside somewhere." Anna replied firmly.

Tracy set down her glass of juice. "So we're stuck without knowing what's next?"

"Afraid so." Kristoff glanced at her.

"Hold on. I know this isn't much to go on. In fact, this was just a passing remark by the Pilgrim when I faced her back in Quodrun." Anna said. "She said I never knew the truth about my family."

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know." Anna pursed her lips. "But she's been spying on my family for years. That's how she knew about Elsa. And the only thing I can think of is that Tobias was her spy. After all, he had a seat in the Council Chambers for years and he had access to the League's resources."

"Then we should go back to Stillcreek and talk to him." Kristoff suggested.

Melody nodded. "Agreed. I think there's a lot more he's not letting on."

"_I'll_ talk to him." Anna got up from her chair which made a sharp screeching sound as it was pushed back against the floor. "The rest of you can use the drawing room and see if you can dig up any more leads together with Captain Frederick. He may have found something after his visit to the Ministry of Information."

###

After an hour or so, Anna returned to the castle's drawing room, looking more puzzled and frustrated than before. She walked into the room sweating and her hair tangled, to see the Warriors locked in a rather serious discussion. Even Captain Frederick had joined them, and they all turned their attention to her as they saw their host return.

"That was fast." Maui looked up in surprise.

"_That_," Anna began, her face hot and flushed. "Was a waste of time."

"What did Tobias tell you?" Melody asked.

"Nothing useful." Anna scowled. "He merely confirmed what we already know. That he had been spying on my family for years for the Pilgrim. And that there was something about my family that I didn't know about."

"If I may, Your Highness?"

Anna looked at Frederick. "What is it?"

"As I was telling them, I found something strange when I visited the Ministry of Information." Frederick began. "I went to talk to Count Griffith, only to hear him convening with the Colonel as I approached his office to talk."

"Count Jakob?"

Frederick nodded. "And so I hid myself nearby, listening in to their conversation. Not exactly the most ethical, but these are desperate times."

"What were they talking about?"

"Long story short, they were in a discourse about The Pilgrim." The Warriors had filled in the trustworthy captain about their mission, so he knew all that needed to know about the League, the Pilgrim as well as Elsa's presence in Quodrun.

"It seems that they were spies, ex-members of the League of Sorcerers." Frederick frowned. "Which means that the Council has been infiltrated for who knows how long."

Anna groaned. Things were even messier then she had imagined. "We'll have to sort the corruption out later. Right now, our priority is learning the truth about my family's past, hoping that it'll give an insight into what the Pilgrim wants."

"Right, then hopefully we'll have a better idea how to stop her and the League." Kristoff said.

"And possibly save Elsa." Maui added.

"The only place that will hold answers about my family's past," Anna motioned for everyone to follow her. "Is my father's library." She led them out of the drawing room and down the spacious hallways of the palace to the South Wing where the library was located. Along the way, they all received amused and confused stares from the servants and guards. Who could blame them? The determined Princess and her ragged mountainous boyfriend, a bruised girl, a hulking figure of a man, a foreign looking girl and the Captain of the Queen's Guard certainly made for a strange band of companions.

They arrived at the library and entered it, splitting up in different directions in a bid to look for clues. Anna's eyes scanned across the huge room filled with shelves upon shelves of books.

"Look for something that's titled Agnarr's journal or anything similar." Anna started pulling out books from the shelves and sneezed violently as she raised a cloud of dust. The library hadn't been used in a long time, and it was no wonder that the books and shelves were lined in the irritating grey substance. The books themselves had pages that had begun to turn yellow, and the entire room smelled musty.

"I found something!" Tracy hollered from the opposite end of the room.

"That was fast." Anna muttered to herself. The former sea witch had a nonchalant disposition most of the time, but she was incredibly sharp and useful when the Warriors needed her. The Warriors all regrouped at a table, and Tracy held a thick book with a leather bound cover which was caked in - what else - dust.

"Thanks." Anna took the book and slammed it onto the table, causing a cloud of dust to emerge from the impact. Coughing, she opened it and flipped across the pages. "This might take a while." She looked up from the book at the rest. "Where did you get my father's journal from?" She glanced at Tracy.

"The fifth row, third shelf from the top." Tracy said. "Why?"

"Do me a favour. Go back and take a look if there's anything else important that could help us. My father always kept the important stuff he was studying close together for convenience."

Tracy nodded and turned to go back.

"I'll come with you." Melody hobbled off with Tracy.

"Thanks." Anna turned her attention back to her father's journal. Kristoff pulled up an old chair for her and she sat down gratefully, her eyes still glued to the journal as she flipped through the pages, scanning them furiously for something…anything that would give her a clue as to what Tobias and the Pilgrim meant by her not knowing the truth about her family's past.

"Wait," she paused at one of the pages, her eyebrows furrowed.

"What is it?" Maui asked.

"No…" Anna's eyes widened. "My father…" she turned the page and scanned it furiously. "The Archbishop…no… It can't be."

Frederick shifted uncomfortably.

Anna's head whirled to face Frederick. "Did you know?"

"I'm sorry, Your Highness. Your father hoped to keep it a secret from everyone," he said solemnly. "I walked in to see him kneeling beside the Archbishop. He made me swear to keep his secret."

"Is this true?" Anna looked at the book, unable to believe her eyes, her mind was as though the entire world she knew was crumbling around her. "Did my father have powers too? Did he kill the Archbishop?"

Kristoff and Maui stood silently watching the exchange unfold, not knowing what was going on, but uncomfortably aware that they should not interfere yet.

Frederick looked away. "Your father was about to be crowned King of Arendelle, but he was summoned to the Church of Arendelle at the heart of the kingdom. The Archbishop threatened to reveal his secret to the people, and your father struck him down by accident. You see, he was no better at controlling his powers than your sister was in the beginning."

"So my father _was_ responsible for the death of the Archbishop?" Anna felt dizzy.

Frederick glanced around, and Kristoff and Maui looked away awkwardly. "Yes. After his coronation, your father rushed back to the church, only to find the Archbishop's body missing. He then returned to the castle and confided in me, telling me that the League of Sorcerers was apparently real. And so was the Pilgrim."

"So all this time, you've known about my father's secret?" Anna couldn't believe her ears. "You knew that he was blackmailed into becoming a member of the League of Sorcerers?"

Frederick nodded gravely. "Agnarr, god rest his soul, made me promise to never tell a soul. He only wanted to protect you and your sister from the harsh truth."

"And that's what Elsa has been trying to do!" Anna came to her own conclusion. "She must have learnt about our father's secret and was blackmailed into joining the League, just like Father before her. The only reason she's working with them is just so that she could protect me from learning about…this."

"Anna," Kristoff began. "I don't think."

"No," Anna set her jaw. "I'm sure about this. Elsa's being blackmailed into working for the Pilgrim." She slowly flipped through the pages, scanning it without a word, tears welling up in her eyes and dampening the already brittle pages of the journal.

"Anna, maybe you should take a break." Kristoff's voice was filled with concern.

"He's right," Maui added. "You need a break."

"No," Anna said, her voice quavering. "I need answers." She stopped and wiped the tears from her eyes, her full attention devoted to the words on the pages.

"Your Highness-"

"Wait, I found something else." Anna narrowed her eyes. "The Pilgrim threatened my father, vowing to induct Elsa into the League of Sorcerers at some point in her future."

"No, that's impossible," For the first time, shock was audible in Frederick's voice. "How did the Pilgrim know? No one else outside the family knew about her…gifts, except me."

"Count Griffith. Tobias. The League spies." Kristoff said grimly. "They sold the royal family out to the Pilgrim."

"It says here that after the Pilgrim threatened to take Elsa away, my father went on an intensive search for a way that would keep us safe from the Pilgrim's magic. He learnt that the Pilgrim was a…" she trailed off and frowned, before shouting in the direction where Tracy and Melody were. "Tracy! What did you say you and the Pilgrim were again?"

"What?" Tracy yelled back.

"That term you used! You said both of you were ummn…H-Ha-"

"_Ha'naeth_!"

"Right!" Anna turned back to the book. "My father discovered her brand of magic, and found a way to stop her. Look!" she pointed at a paragraph and the other three leaned in to see what she was talking about. "He found a mystical amulet that could ward off her black magic. It's called…Q-Ka..."

"_Qa'nneth_." Tracy and Melody reappeared from behind the row of shelves, walking back towards Anna and the rest with another book. Tracy heaved the book and dropped it heavily onto the desk. "I'm familiar with the _Qa'nneth_. The first thing my family taught me was how to stay away from the _Qa'nneth_. This book," she gestured at the second book. "Contains maps leading to various mystical trinkets."

"Yeah, and my father found it." Anna looked back at the journal. "He acquired the _Qa'nneth_ but had no idea how to use it, no matter how many books he found about magic."

"But your father did find something else." Frederick said.

"Yeah," Anna continued studying the book. "He found the river called Ahtohallan, and hoped to find answers there."

"So he and your mother left Arendelle to seek this place out." Frederick said quietly. "And it was there in the Southern Sea that-"

"That their ship went down." Anna grimaced. "The thing the Pilgrim said to me in Quodrun. It all makes sense now."

"What?"

"In passing, she gloated that if my parents couldn't stop her, then there was no way I had a chance." Anna felt tears pressing her eyes and felt a lump in her throat. "She caused that storm. She…killed my parents."

"I'm sorry, Anna." Melody said quietly. "But I have an idea."

Anna choked back more tears. "What?"

"Tracy and I will go to Atlantica. My grandfather, King Triton, would know about the ship's disappearance. After all, he is the King of the Seven Seas."

"We'll find the _Qa'nneth_ from the wreckage, and bring it back." Tracy added.

"It's the only way we're going to defeat the Pilgrim." Melody finished.

Anna nodded. "Thanks."

"Don't worry," Melody placed a weak hand on Anna's shoulder. "We'll get the _Qa'nneth _and stop the League once and for all." With that, she and Tracy turned to leave, walking out of the library.

Anna turned back to Kristoff, Maui and Frederick. "I'm going back to Stillcreek."

"What?" Maui said. "Why?"

"Tobias has more answers. I'm sure of it." Anna was determined to find out more. "Fred, get the carriage ready."

"Yes, Your Highness."

###

The three Warriors arrived at Stillcreek, escorted by Captain Frederick. They were greeted by the Warden, who as usual took some time to sort out the paperwork and get the clearance for them to visit Tobias. As they arrived outside the interrogation room, she turned to the rest, noticing Maui's uneasiness.

"Stay out here." Anna put her hand on the door handle.

"Are you sure?" Kristoff asked. "I can come with you, you know."

"No," Anna shook her head firmly. "This is something I want to do alone. I won't be long." She opened the door and entered the interrogation room, the big door closing loudly behind her. Behind the repaired bars sat Tobias, evidently displeased that he had to sit through another interrogation.

"This is getting old, Your Highness." Tobias watched as the Princess walked toward him. "I already told you what you wanted to know."

"No, you didn't." Anna kept her calm. "But I know everything now."

"Do you really?" Tobias raised an eyebrow. "If you did, you wouldn't be coming back here. Unless of course, this is a social call."

"Fine. How did you and the other spies know about my sister even before her coronation?" Anna asked.

"We ex-League members are very resourceful people." Tobias smirked. "Of course we knew about your sister's powers."

"And you knew about my father too." Anna folded her arms.

"I did." Tobias said. "The Pilgrim has eyes everywhere. Various levels of the government has been infiltrated over the years."

"And what about the Pilgrim? What is she planning to do with the Elemental Sorcerers?"

"You already asked me once," Tobias' smile grew wider, and Anna could feel her temper rising. "What do you think my answer's going to be this time round?"

Anna pursed her lips, before she decided to play her trump card, which she hoped would work. "What's the point of keeping it a secret?" she asked slowly. "You're already stuck in here."

"The Pilgrim will get me out eventually. The League doesn't abandon their own."

Anna laughed dryly. "I doubt so. If the Pilgrim were coming to free you, don't you think she would have done it by now?"

"She's…busy,"

"Yeah, keep lying to yourself."

Tobias was silent for a moment, and then he sighed. "You're probably right."

"I _know_ I am." Anna said savagely. "She's abandoned you after you wasted her resources on the coup."

Tobias chuckled humourlessly. "Fine. You win. For a while now, the Pilgrim has been yearning to learn the secret of the Eternal King."

"The Eternal King? You mean the madman who allegedly ruled Ancient Hyutreno for centuries with an iron fist?" Anna blinked.

Tobias nodded. "The Pilgrim's days of cheating death are coming to an end, and she needs a way to continue surviving."

"She's dying?"

"Yes. And she hopes that the Eternal King holds the secrets of longevity."

"So all this…is just to find the Eternal King?"

"Yes."

"Then what does she need the Elemental Sorcerers for?"

"I don't know." Tobias looked up at her.

Anna could tell that he was telling the truth this time. There was a certain gravity to his voice, which had changed from that of a laughing hyena to that of a deflated balloon once the reality of the Pilgrim's abandonment had set in.

Without warning, Tobias toppled off his chair and fell to the ground in a heap, his body thudding unceremoniously against the stone cold floor.

"Tobias?" Anna pressed against the bars of the interrogation room as close as she could get to the motionless prisoner, and to her horror, she saw that a small blade handle was sticking out of his neck. The knife had found its mark in the left side of his neck. _But where did it come from? _She moved to align herself with the window at the right side of the interrogation room which was on the prisoner's side, and squinted her eyes.

There, standing on a narrow ledge opposite the building where the interrogation room was located, Prometheus lingered, and Anna caught his eye.

"We have a problem!" Anna burst out the door.

"What?" Kristoff, Maui and Frederick filed into the room hurriedly.

"Prometheus! He murdered Tobias!"

"Huh?" Maui stared at the lifeless body of the ex-Chancellor and noticed the blade sticking out of his neck.

Anna gestured at the window frantically. "Out there on the ledge opposite this building! He's in Stillcreek!"


	21. Chapter 19: Return to the Sea

Chapter Nineteen

Return to the Sea

**MELODY**

A Crossing Point opened up on a reef, and two figures swam out into the vast blue sea. Melody, who had transformed into a mermaid in the Crossing Zone, had her legs replaced by her salmon pink tail, courtesy of the golden necklace around her neck. She had ditched her jacket back in Arendelle as well as her weapons. Her bow, arrows and other equipment weren't going to do her much good underwater, so there was no point in bringing them along. Beside her was Tracy, who had transformed back into her original form of an octopid, blue tentacles and all. After all, they were now on a mission that took place under the sea, so it made sense for them to return to the one place that would hold the answers to where they needed to go.

"It's been so long." Melody broke into a smile as she looked out from the reef at her home kingdom of Atlantica. The kingdom was truly beautiful, having been restored after the war Major Kane had brought to her home months ago. It was almost as if a fierce battle had never taken place in the waters of Denmark.

"Yeah, well. I visited a few times while you were away in school." Tracy began swimming towards the kingdom.

Melody smiled. She remembered the first time that she brought Tracy to Atlantica. The octopid had been terribly awkward and self conscious, since octopids had been banned from Atlantica for the longest time. However, after she had been granted access to the palace since she was a friend of the King's granddaughter, Atlantica was almost like a second home to her which was a pleasant surprise to Melody. With a flick of her salmon pink tail, she began swimming after Tracy.

"Slow down," She called out to Tracy, careful not to strain herself as she swam. "Cracked ribs, remember?"

"Oh, right." Tracy brought her fast pace to a slow glide through the water. The sea was her natural habitat after all, so it wasn't surprising that she was a fast swimmer by default.

Tracy looked back at Melody. "You really think your grandfather knows about the shipwreck in the Southern Sea?"

"Of course," Melody said confidently as she caught up to Tracy. "My grandfather makes it his business to know everything that happens in the water. He believes that it's part of his job as the King of the Seven Seas."

"Well that's convenient," Tracy grinned. "Saves us a lot of trouble tracking down the _Qa'nneth_ ourselves."

"Don't forget, even though my grandfather might know where the ship is, the _Qa'nneth _might no longer be there after all these years."

"Right, bandits and raiders." Tracy rolled her eyes. "Always hated those sort. Coming into the Dark Zone and us always having to chase them off."

There was something of an awkward silence between them as they swam towards the kingdom of Atlantica, and both of them could sense it.

"You never wanted to come back to the Warriors, did you?" Tracy suddenly broke the silence, blunt as usual, but this time she was extremely perceptive which completely took Melody by surprise.

"I-" Melody started. _That was really out of the blue._ "Yes."

"Why?" Tracy asked. "I thought you loved the life of adventure?"

"I guess things changed," Melody admitted. "In the beginning, I would have done anything to leave my life of boredom behind for an adventure, a chance to redeem myself for my mistakes. You know, because of…" she glanced at Tracy, who understood and nodded. "But after we stopped the Major and returned to Denmark, I went back to school."

"And I was stuck as a merchant's assistant in the market."

"My point is, that's when things really began to change for me," Melody continued. "I had my adventure. I found my redemption. I was done. All I wanted was to focus on school. Sure, I felt alive when I was out with the Warriors, but I felt that that part of my life was over and I wanted to keep that door closed. But when I heard about Elsa and returned with the Warriors-"

"You felt like you were home." Tracy said. "Right?"

Melody sighed. "Yeah. Even though I've only known you guys a short time, you all feel like a second family to me. When we went our separate ways, a part of me always felt like-"

"A fish out of water." Tracy grinned.

"Yeah." Melody grinned back. _Good old Tracy. _"I heard from the others you singlehandedly fought four of the sorcerers by yourself back in Quodrun. You've certainly come into your own with the Warriors."

Tracy blushed. "Actually, I lost."

"We all did, Tracy."

"I don't know, it's just something the Pilgrim said that took the fight outta me." Tracy pursed her lips. "And don't get me wrong, she was pretty deadly with black magic and gave me the fight of my life. But she got inside my head."

"I think she has that effect on people." Melody said.

"No, that's what I mean." Tracy said. "She told me that I reminded her of herself in her younger days and that I would have made a great Pilgrim."

"What?"

"And that stuck with me since Quodrun." Tracy continued. "What if I turn out to be just like her? Or worse still…like my mother?"

Melody stopped swimming, and so did Tracy. "You don't have to worry about that," She placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. "The Pilgrim was just trying to unnerve you. But she's wrong. She doesn't know what you've been through."

""But what if I'm not careful and end up going down the wrong path?"

"You made the choice to leave your family's cycle of violence behind and forge your own path. You're not going to turn out like your mother. Or the Pilgrim." Melody said firmly. "You've come so far from when I first found you in the Dark Zone. That girl would have never wanted anything to do with saving the world or risking her neck to fight the League of Sorcerers to save a boy she barely knew. But you now? I think we can all agree that we're proud of who you've become. I know I am." Melody smiled.

"Thanks…I guess." Tracy gave an uncertain smile, which was uncharacteristic of the usually nonchalant teenager.

"Come on, we should go."

The duo swam into the palace and the Atlantican soldiers they passed bowed deeply the moment they saw that the Princess of Atlantica had returned. Melody gave polite smiles and waved lightly as they manoeuvred through the palace. Eventually, they arrived at King Triton's Royal Court, and Melody was elated to see her grandfather sitting on the throne.

"Grandfather!" she shouted and attempted to swim quickly toward him, only to have pain shoot through her body and she remembered that her ribs had been injured back in the battle of Quodrun.

"Melody?" King Triton snapped out of his thoughts to see his granddaughter and her octopid friend before him. "You're hurt!" he exclaimed as he noticed the bruising on her face and the way she was moving. "What happened?"

Melody hugged her grandfather and he was extra cautious to return the embrace as lightly as he could, for fear of aggravating her injuries. "Long story. It's been a while since I last saw you!"

"Ah yes," Triton agreed. "I wished you would have visited more."

"I've been busy in school," Melody said guiltily but truthfully, pulling away from him. "I would have wanted to come more often though."

"Instead, I've seen more of your friend than I have my own granddaughter." Triton nodded in acknowledgment of Tracy, who waved back.

Melody cringed at Tracy's lack of royal etiquette. Tracy wasn't one who cared about the rules, and it certainly showed. She was incredibly fortunate that Triton gave her leeway since she was friends with his granddaughter.

"I'm sorry, Grandfather," Melody said. "I wish this reunion was under better circumstances."

"Then this isn't a social call?"

"We need your help." Tracy chimed in.

"What's wrong?" There was concern in Triton's voice, and Melody felt her heart warm, knowing that her grandfather was always quick and ready to come to her aid when she needed it.

"First of all, I could use a little healing magic," Melody said in embarrassment.

"Of course." Triton reached for the golden trident that was etched in the stand beside his throne, and pointed it at his granddaughter. Soft golden rays were emitted from the trident, and travelled towards Melody. The rays seeped into her body, and she glowed brightly as the magic repaired and tended to her wounds. Then, the glow subsided and Melody's body was once again free of injury.

Melody touched her face and could not find the bruises that Prometheus had left behind as a gift. She then checked her side, and was pleasantly surprised to find that her ribs no longer ached and the sharp pain as a result of the cracked ribs had disappeared.

"Thanks, Grandfather." Melody said gratefully as she tested her agility and flexibility.

Triton stuck the trident back in the stand beside his throne. "What happened? Who did that to you?"

Melody glanced at Tracy who shrugged her shoulders. "It's…" Melody paused. "It's a long story."

"Obviously." Triton said. "Another warlord trying to destroy the world?"

"Believe it or not, it's a lot more complicated than that this time."

"Oh? Like what?"

"Ahh…" Melody glanced at Tracy.

"No thanks, you're doing great." Tracy grinned and Melody rolled her eyes.

Triton stared at the two girls inquisitively.

Melody cleared her throat before continuing. "Do you know about a royal ship that sunk in the Southern Sea three years ago?"

Triton raised an eyebrow.

"It was an Arendellian ship from Norway which belonged to the royal family. Do you know where exactly it sank?"

"I recall reading about it a few years back. Sebastian was telling me about a ship of Norwegian Royalty sinking into the Eiden territory which sparked off a dispute between the various raiding factions." Triton frowned, trying to remember.

"Eiden?" Melody could see that Tracy was visibly surprised, though she didn't offer anything in the way of an explanation.

"Yes. Let me see what I can find in the archives." He swam towards the exit. "Follow me."

Triton led them to his private library where he kept archives of all things beneath the sun-and beneath the surface too. Items ranged from books on various forms of magic, huge volumes on the history of the sea kingdoms, countless archives of successful battle tactics employed in wars from decades past, to maps of places as far as the other side of the ocean.

"So, Your Majesty," Tracy cleared her throat as Triton began searching for the record book he was looking for. "If you could tell us what we're getting ourselves into, that'll be real helpful."

"Eiden territory is a place most merfolk avoid," Triton had his back facing the two girls as he frowned at his numerous shelves of books. "I don't feel comfortable knowing that you two are going there alone."

"Honestly, neither do I." Tracy muttered under her breath.

"We can take care of ourselves," Melody said. "After all, we did play a huge role in the Battle of Atlantica."

Tracy glanced away awkwardly, and Melody noticed. No one knew that the former sea witch had actually gone rogue during the Battle of Atlantica and helped the enemy to escape with the trident, and Melody hadn't told anyone. She didn't see the need to. After all, Tracy had just been confused and hurt, and Melody blamed herself for that. If she had told her grandfather the truth, Tracy wouldn't have been allowed to enter the kingdom at all.

"I have no doubt you two are capable of taking care of yourselves. Still, Eiden is a very dangerous place," Triton removed the book he was looking for from the shelf and turned to face the two girls. "Bandits, raiders, gangs, corrupt merchants, hostile locals…the list goes on."

"We don't really have a choice." Melody said.

"What's so important that you must journey there?" Triton inquired curiously.

"Ah," Melody hesitated. It was a very long story, and telling it would mean that her grandfather would know of her dangerous exploits of late, and she knew he wouldn't be very pleased. For the past few years, she had done her best to keep him in the dark regarding her adventures because she knew her grandfather had a tendency to be worrisome.

"We're…like…in the middle of a war against a bunch of sorcerers." Tracy piped up, and she got an annoyed glance from Melody.

The King arched his eyebrows, but didn't say a word.

"And one of them in a _Ha'naeth_ like me, which means she can be stopped by _Qa'nneth_."

"The bronze amulet that protects the wielder from a _Ha'naeth_." Triton said.

"Yeah, exactly." Tracy said.

"Our friend's parents found the _Qa'nneth_ and planned a voyage across the Southern Sea to a mystical river called Ahtohallan for answers about how to wield the amulet." Melody explained.

"Ahtohallan." Triton's face was grim. "Stay away from that place."

"We're not headed there." Melody assured him.

"I know. But all the same, steer clear of it."

"Why?"

"Legend has it," Triton said. "If you go too far into Ahtohallan, you will be drowned."

"I don't really see how that's applicable to us, since we can survive underwater." Tracy shrugged.

"All the same, keep away from it. It is said that only a few who have strong enough wills have ever emerged from Ahtohallan alive."

"Anyway," Melody continued for Tracy. "The ship went down somewhere in the Southern Sea during a freak storm, and so did the _Qa'nneth_. We're hoping you could tell us where it sank."

"That storm," Triton noted. "I remember hearing of that too, three years ago. It was…unnatural."

"You mean like someone could have been manipulating the weather and the waves?" Melody's eyes grew wide.

"Wouldn't be the first time." Triton said dryly and opened the book. "Anyway, look here." He pointed at one of the pages, and the two girls looked over his shoulder. "It wasn't the Southern Sea. The ship went off course and found itself in the Dark Sea. That's where the ship was caught in the storm and sank a few hundred metres south of the trading post of Eiden. That sparked off a small war between the different raiding factions for the treasures that rested in the ship."

"It was the royal ship of the monarchy after all." Melody glanced at Tracy, who still seemed disturbed.

"You sure the ship's in Eiden?" Tracy asked as if she was hoping for a different answer.

"Yes. And as for the map," Triton placed the book back where he took it, and swam across to the opposite shelves and pulled out a stack of maps. He scanned through them, looking for the region of Eiden, and passed the right one to his granddaughter. "Here," He looked at her anxiously. "Please be careful."

"Don't worry, Grandfather. We will." Melody reassured him.

"Eiden isn't a kind post." The King reinforced his earlier warning. "I could send a couple of guards with you."

"No, no. We'll manage fine on our own. Thanks." Melody said hurriedly.

"Then please," Triton implored. "Watch out for each other."

"We will. Thanks Grandfather." Melody hugged her grandfather tightly, now that her injuries and pain had vanished. "I promise I'll visit again soon. Once this is all over." She pulled away with the map in hand, and Tracy waved goodbye to the King as they both swam out of the library.

###

The two Warriors emerged from a Crossing Point, and Tracy closed it behind her. They hovered out in the open as they looked around for the ship that belonged to Anna and Elsa's parents, surrounded by what appeared to be endless miles of dark murky water. Where they were, the sun was already beginning to set and soon it would be pitch black. They had to hurry if they were going to find the Qa'nneth before they were stuck in a foreign territory without light.

"And I thought the Dark Zone was bad." Melody muttered.

"Maybe this was a mistake." Tracy glanced around nervously.

"Why?" Melody was genuinely confused. "You looked spooked when my grandfather mentioned Eiden."

Tracy avoided eye contact, pretending to scan the horizon for the Arendellian ship.

"What's it about Eiden that gets to you?"

"Nothing." Tracy replied quickly.

"Tracy," Melody said. "If there's something I should know before we go any further, now's the time to spill it. I don't want to end up walking into some trap or something."

"No, no. It's not Eiden. It's just…" Tracy paused. "Never mind. Let's go."

Melody stared at Tracy for a few seconds before turning her attention back to the obscured horizon. "You sure this is the right place?"

"According to the map," Tracy unfolded the crumpled paper. "Unless your grandfather was wrong."

"I see something." Melody squinted, her eyes a slit and her face scrunched up as if she had just chewed something incredibly bitter. "A faint structure…" She swam quickly through the gloomy waters, unimpeded by her previous injuries which had miraculously healed thoroughly, and Tracy followed a short distance behind apprehensively.

As they drew closer to the structure, it became clearer, which was a miracle given the environment they were in. As it was, they could hardly see farther than twenty metres in front of them. However, it was definitely undisputed that the structure was that of a ship which had been battered about in an unnaturally fierce storm, and possibly also in a heated battle for spoils once it had descended into the depths below.

"Scan the different cabins." Melody said as they swam into the wreckage of the ship and opened a cupboard. "Go through everything."

"I'm pretty sure the raiders have already taken everything of value," Tracy called out from another segment of the damaged ship. It was no longer clear what separated the cabins from the galley or the bilge, given the state that the ship was in. "And that includes the _Qa'nneth_. The raiders aren't idiots. The amulet is made of bronze, which has to have some value out here."

"You're right," Melody joined Tracy after she had scanned the rooms. "There's nothing in there."

"Uh…Melody?" Tracy hissed, and Melody caught her cue to stop making too much noise. The two watched as two long and thick sea serpents glided outside the ship. Their huge dark green scales cast shadows over the already gloomy waters, and the two girls pressed close to a wall of the ship that still stood intact.

"We should get out of here." Tracy gasped after the serpents were a safe distance away from the ship. "This place is a nightmare."

"That's seriously saying something, coming from you." Melody grinned. After all, the former sea witch had lived in the Dark Zone where they first met, and it was without question a slump.

"Look." She pointed at an area where the murky waters seemed to end. A small town, Eiden, was located about two hundred metres from the ship, and though it laid outside the murky waters, it still had an overcast and dreary look which had the opposite effect that a trading post should have had.

"Eiden." Melody could pick up a hint of dread in Tracy's voice.

"You sure you're up for this?"

"Yeah of course."

"Then come on." Melody started swimming toward the small town. "If the _Qa'nneth_ has been taken, that's where it'll most likely be."

"This is not going to end well." Tracy muttered under her breath as she tried to catch up with the mermaid.

Writer's Commentary:

Finally we return to the sea. Honestly, I've always had trouble writing the chapters from the previous book that took place underwater. I can't seem to visualize how things would play out in the ocean. Though it is definitely a completely magical and fun landscape to write.

Anyway, we will be taking some time to explore Tracy's arc. She is wondering if she is headed down the right path, and is worried if she'll turn out like the villainous Pilgrim. We will be exploring more of that in the coming chapters. But first, let's return to Arendelle.

Please take some time to review! I'll really appreciate it!


	22. Chapter 20: Across Arendelle's Rooftops

Chapter Twenty

Across Arendelle's Rooftops

**ANNA**

Just as he had done once before, Maui burst through the steel bars of the interrogation room, snapping them like they were just strands of spaghetti. He ignored the motionless Tobias and headed straight towards the window where the blade had come from. Anna, Kristoff and Frederick followed after the demigod and hastily crossed over to the other side of the room. The Captain of the Queen's Guard and Anna knelt down beside the fallen ex-Chancellor, while Kristoff joined Maui by the window.

"He's getting away!" Kristoff shouted as he saw the mercenary ducking away from the opposite ledge and making his escape.

"Not for long." Maui growled, and sent a huge flying fist straight into the fortified stone wall of the interrogation room. It crumbled to the ground around the window, leaving an enormous gap in the wall, the warm rays of sunlight flooding into the poorly lit prison. With a giant leap, the demigod sprung into the air and out of the room, in the direction that Prometheus had fled.

"Anna, stay here with the captain." Kristoff stepped out onto the ledge directly outside the window which now no longer existed.

"Kristoff! What are you doing?" Anna shouted. "Get back in here!"

"I've got to stop him from escaping. Maui can't do it alone." Kristoff removed himself from Anna's sight and she groaned in frustration.

Frederick inspected the blade sticking out of the ex-Chancellor's neck. "He's gone. There's nothing we can do." He stood up. "I'll go call the Warden."

"Right, we'll meet you back here." Anna sprung to her feet and disappeared out the door.

"Your Highness!" Frederick shouted after her, but it was too late. She was already sprinting down the corridors, heading for the gate.

Anna burst out into the open, her head on a swivel. She couldn't possibly join Kristoff out on the precarious ledges of the prison, and neither could she leap across the rooftops in a single bound or fly like Maui, so she had to do what she could to help from the ground. _There!_ She took off running as she spotted the black-clad mercenary sprinting across the rooftops expertly, ignoring the dangerous heights as if he was running on the ground. _Prometheus was headed for the edge of the prison! _She guessed that he was going to try to vault himself over the barbed fence from the rooftop to get back into the city. _But how? _

As she gave chase from the ground, she heard a loud war cry ring out from above her and she craned her head up to see where it came from. Maui had bounded off a rooftop, and while in midair had shape-shifted into a big brown falcon, his wings spread majestically and soaring through the sky. He let out a piercing screech as he closed the gap between himself and the mercenary.

From the ground below, Anna could make out the figure of Prometheus glancing over his shoulder while nearing the end of one of the prison's blocks. He saw the large bird swooping down towards him, and turned his attention back to the gap between the rooftops ahead of him. The next building was of a considerably shorter height, Anna noticed, so there was no doubt that he would make it. Without slowing his momentum, his left boot launched off the rooftop. He hurtled through the air towards the next building and at the same time removed a thick black fletching from his quiver. As the mercenary landed on the next rooftop and rolled across it to break his fall, he made a full rotation, and stopped with his back to the ground and bow pointed up in the sky.

The mercenary swiftly nocked his thick arrow, aiming at the fast descending demigod. Then, before Maui had the chance to change his course, Prometheus released the bowstring and the arrow zipped towards him. The unusually thick arrow split in half, opening up a thick rope netting in between the two halves. Maui found himself caught in the net, his wings snapped in tightly to his sides as the net wrapped itself around him tightly. Anna watched in dismay as the demigod fell away with an angry squawk, landing with a heavy thud. She had no doubt that he would be alright, but still, she hadn't expected that Prometheus was ready for that.

Continuing to give chase from the ground, Anna's heart pounded hard in her chest as she followed the movements of the mercenary across the buildings towards the edge of the prison. Anna looked up, and saw that Kristoff wasn't very far behind Prometheus, making his way gracefully across the rooftops as if he had done so before. She was astonished as to how efficiently Kristoff was navigating the heights. The mountain man leapt across a huge gap, and literally hit the ground running, not letting up in his momentum as he drew closer to the mercenary.

Anna burst out of the gates of Stillcreek, ignoring the protests of the guards as she kept her eyes on Prometheus, who was nearing the edge of the prison. _There was no way he could get off that rooftop_, she thought to herself as she eyeballed the distance between the prison rooftop and the city's nearest building. However, if her time with on this particular mission had taught her anything, it was to never underestimate Prometheus. The next building was at least forty metres away, and was at a height beneath that of the prison building rooftop. Even if he could make it over the barbed wire fencing of the prison, he still had forty metres of space between him and the next building, with nothing but a sheer drop onto a\the concrete pavement below.

Prometheus brought himself to a halt at the edge of the prison rooftop, and Anna could see that he was making the exact same calculations, judging by how he studied his surroundings. Kristoff was fast approaching him, closing the gap between them, and Prometheus was aware of that too. He removed another special arrow from his quiver and nocked it, aiming for the opposite building. It was then that Anna realized what he was doing, and once again she found herself stunned at his daring and resourcefulness.

The grapnel arrow flew across the forty metre gap with a sturdy cable following it, and found its mark in a large stone wall that was beside the rooftop stairwell, and anchored itself securely in the stone. Prometheus hooked the other end of the line to the rooftop he was on, and tugged on the line to ensure it was secure and could hold his weight. Then, using hooking his bow on the cable, Prometheus ran across the rooftop and let the momentum carry him off the edge.

Anna watched wide eyed as the resourceful mercenary zipped across the large drop using nothing but his bow hooked on the sturdy line. Her eyes darted back to the rooftop where she saw Kristoff standing at the edge, watching Prometheus go. Kristoff tore the scarf he was wearing into two long pieces, wrapping his hands in the thick fabric to prevent his hands from getting burns. _No no no no. _She instantly knew what he was trying to do, and she hoped with all her heart that he would reconsider his current course of action. To her horror, he didn't, and clung to the cable, taking a couple of steps back. Then, like Prometheus before him, he ran and his legs left the rooftop edge, zipping down rapidly after the mercenary.

Both hands clasped together over her mouth, Anna prayed with all her heart that Kristoff wouldn't let go. Her eyes darted back to the building where Prometheus was landing. The black clad man let go of the line the moment his feet almost hovered over solid ground, and rolled narrowly across the parapet of the rooftop, not waiting to reach the end of the line. Then, he quickly got to his feet and spun round to see Kristoff rapidly approaching him, and unsheathed a shiny katana from his scabbard.

"NO!" Anna's heart lurched within her and dropped to the soles of her feet as she watched Prometheus raise his sword above his head, but there was nothing she could do. Bringing his katana down in one vicious stroke, he sliced the taut cable, and Kristoff began to plummet as he almost reached the opposite roof. Fortunately, Kristoff saw the move coming and hurled himself off the rope and towards the nearing roof, arms outstretched in front of him. He almost didn't make it.

"Gah!" Kristoff shouted as his fingertips grasped the edge of the parapet, literally clinging on for dear life as Prometheus watched.

Anna's hopes were raised a little when Prometheus didn't deliver a killing stroke, but instead opted to continue his escape into the city, leaving Kristoff dangling precariously at the edge of the roof. Without a second thought, Anna dashed across the street and into the building, her legs pounding the stairs in rapid successive movements as she ignored the possibility of running straight into Prometheus. The priority now was getting Kristoff to safety, even if that meant letting the mercenary go free. She wasn't surprised when she somehow didn't run into Prometheus in the stairwell, and assumed that he had found another escape route.

Bursting out onto the rooftop, she ran over to Kristoff who already had one arm latched over the parapet, pulling himself over the edge to safety. She dashed over to help him over, and the two of them collapsed with grunts in a heap once he was safely out of harm's way.

"What were you thinking?!" Anna cried, punching him in the arm.

"Ow!" Kristoff grunted, rubbing his arm as he sat up. "What was that for?"

"You could have been killed!" Anna glared at him, then hugged him tightly. "Don't you dare do that again!"

"Prometheus had every opportunity to kill me, but he didn't." Kristoff mused as he returned the hug.

"And that's another thing!" Anna continued as she pulled away from him, both immensely relieved and furious at his recklessness at the same time. "Running across narrow ledges and jumping across rooftops?"

"I can handle it." Kristoff grumbled, getting to his feet, and removing the fabric that protected his hands from burns.

"Can you?" Anna glared at him.

"Anna, now's not the right time to be arguing. He's getting away!" He tried to divert her attention, but she instantly saw through his trick.

"He's already gone." Anna said firmly. "Kristoff, look at me."

"What?"

"I don't want you doing something stupid like that again, you hear me?" Anna said fiercely.

"Oh, come on!" Kristoff rolled his eyes. "I can handle it."

"Please," There were tears in Anna's eyes. "I can't lose you too."

Kristoff paused, then took her hand. "Anna, I've been doing dangerous things my entire life. I've ran with a tough crowd, gotten into fights and almost fallen off mountains. Even before you met me, and even before all this Warriors and League business. This is normal for me."

"It isn't for me."

"Anna-"

"I just don't want you dying out there." Anna's voice quavered. "I…I can't lose anyone else."

"Don't worry." Kristoff smiled at her. "You won't."

"Just promise me," she pleadingly looked at him through teary eyes. "Be careful."

"I promise, Anna." Kristoff squeezed her hand tightly in reassurance. "I promise."

"Good." Anna wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Then let's get back to Stillcreek and regroup with Fred and Maui."

###

"How did Prometheus even get into Stillcreek in the first place?" Anna watched as the prison guards covered the lifeless body of Tobias and carried him away on a stretcher. The whole thing had happened so quickly that the guards had only just arrived just as the Warriors got back from chasing the mercenary.

"You saw what he could do, and the tools he had at his disposal," Kristoff said. "It's not really shocking, honestly."

"Why did he kill Tobias though?"

"I'm guessing the Pilgrim found out that Tobias was leaking secrets and was pretty furious about him tipping us off about her mission in Quodrun." Kristoff said. "I mean, how else would we have known about her quest to find the Elemental Sorcerers?"

"What did he tell you before he died?" Maui asked. He had managed to free himself from the net Prometheus had launched at him and met up with the couple on their way back to Stillcreek. Unsurprisingly, he was utterly unharmed and uninjured, and Anna expected no less from the demigod.

"Well, he actually gave us the Pilgrim's entire plan, believe it or not," Anna said. "She's dying and is trying to find the long lost imprisoned Eternal King to learn his secret."

"Okay, explain it to me like I know nothing about history or magic or whatever this is." Just when Kristoff had decided that he had reached his limit of learning new magical mojo, there was always something new thrown at him which made him feel like a small fish in a very large ocean. A part of him felt normal when he was chasing down Prometheus, a regular human being, if the lethal mercenary could even be considered human.

"The Eternal King was a man who sold his soul to a demon in exchange for the gift of longevity. With his newfound demon residing inside him, he waged war and took over the throne of Ancient Hyutreno." Maui began.

"He ruled Ancient Hyutreno for centuries with an iron fist, and it was only when the allied powers of four kingdoms came against him that his reign was ended. By the time the war ended, the Eternal King had nothing left to his name except the skin and clothes on his back, and was imprisoned in a dungeon far beneath Ancient Hyutreno, somewhere in the catacombs. Till this day, some say that the Eternal King is still trapped deep beneath present day Hyutreno, which built a city on top of the ruins of Ancient Hyutreno. Today, he is reduced to nothing more than a myth."

"Well, I thought that the League of Sorcerers was a myth," Anna shrugged. "At this point, nothing is too far fetched."

"You know what? I give up." Kristoff threw up his hands in defeat. It was too hard trying to reason things out with his logical and pragmatic mindset. "So what happens now?"

"I know for a fact that over the centuries, many people sought to find the map leading to the dungeons below modern day Hyutreno." Maui continued. "However, the map is being kept in the museum of Srevnjor."

"Can you fly us there?" Anna asked.

"Wait a minute." Kristoff didn't like the feeling he was getting.

"Yeah."

"Then we better get going before the League gets that map." Anna walked out of the interrogation room, followed by Kristoff and Maui.

"Your Highness," Frederick walked from the opposite side of the hallway towards the Warriors. He had just finished explaining the entire situation to the Warden who now had a dead prisoner on his hands, which didn't bode well for his record. "What are your orders?"

"We're going to Srevnjor," Anna looked at Frederick. "Fred, I'm gonna need you to assemble a small circle of authorities that you know you can trust. Till I get back, you're in charge. Keep the kingdom safe."

The Captain hesitated for a moment and realized that it was better not to argue with the intrepid and determined Princess.

"Yes, Your Highness," he bowed. "But please, be safe."

"Anna, Srevnjor's literally in another country." Kristoff attempted to reason with her as they walked out of Stillcreek. "Without Tracy's teleportation magic, we won't get there in time before the League does."

Anna turned to Maui. "How fast can you fly?"

The demigod glanced back at her. "Time to find out."

**ELSA**

"Harness your emotions. Focus!" Ingrid hissed as she brought a knife materialized from her black magic down towards Elsa. The Snow Queen swiftly formed an ice dagger in her right palm and brought it up to parry, barely able to avoid the Pilgrim's vicious attack.

"Use your fear, your anger, your hate." the witch drew nearer to her, grating her knife made out of black magic against the ice dagger, causing a loud screeching sound. "The fear of dying. The indignation and wrath. Use it to make you stronger!"

Elsa leapt back and raised a wall of thick ice as a wave of black magic washed toward her, and the black magic hit the ice, causing it to splinter into a million pieces, but the ice had done its job, causing the attack to dissipate.

"Good." Ingrid's lips turned upward crookedly. "You learnt to focus on the positive emotions. But they make you weak. Tap into your darkness, for that's where your true strength and potential lies."

Elsa desperately wanted to roll her eyes, but decided against it. However, there was some truth to Ingrid's words. She had been fearful during training, as the witch had held nothing back, and she had spent the past hour or so defending herself from potent black magic. _Ha'naeth_, as Ingrid had called herself, harnessed unique black magic that was unlike any other form. Deadly, to put it bluntly. Elsa had truly been fearful as she fought for her life though it was only a training session, but she had tried to focus on her fear and survival instincts, and she had felt more power flowing out of her, more than she had ever known before.

In the past, when she couldn't control her powers, they had gotten out of hand because she couldn't control her fear, her anger or her grief. It was only when she focused on the good that she had a better grip on her powers. But now that she was adept and proficient in harnessing her magic, Ingrid had shown her that she had more power at her disposal, hidden beneath the surface of restraint. And though the Pilgrim's methods were questionably wrong, they were no doubt efficient, and Elsa was slightly taken aback by the power and strength that she possessed but never tapped into.

An inky dark red tendril of black magic shot out towards Elsa, and she snapped out of her thoughts, bringing her attention and focus back to the training session she was stuck in. Sidestepping the long tendril, she grabbed it with both her hands, and immediately her hands froze over, trapping the tendril in the ice together with her hands. Then, with a hard jerk, she yanked the weapon free of Ingrid's grip. As her new "mentor" stumbled forward by the sheer strength of her counterattack, Elsa formed ice on the ground which trapped Ingrid's legs, securing her to one spot.

"Very good." With a single thought, Ingrid's black magic broke the ice surrounding her legs, and it disintegrated. "I knew I chose well with you. You learn fast, but you're still holding back. You're not unleashing all your anger and your fear. You're limiting yourself, and that-"

Suddenly, Ingrid spluttered and dropped to a knee. Her skin grew pale and the colour drained from her already dull coloured face. In that split second, it looked like Ingrid had just aged another five decades as she struggled to regain her breath amid the relentless coughing. Elsa squirmed a little as she saw blood dripping from Ingrid's lips as the fallen Pilgrim reached desperately for a vial.

Instead of keeping it in a beaker, Ingrid now resorted to wearing a dose of the potion around her neck for emergencies as she was growing weaker. Elsa noted that every time Ingrid used her black magic, she would be weakened to a certain degree, and sometimes the disease raging in her blood would take over and overwhelm her, forcing her to consume yet another dose of the precious and limited Augbine Herbs laced with black magic.

"I think maybe that's enough training for one day." Elsa said, trying to keep her tone neutral as she watched Ingrid fumble with the lid of the vial.

Ingrid managed to pry the vial open and chug down the lime green potion quickly, breathing heavily and rapidly. Slowly, her condition stabilized and she got to her feet, staring at the empty vial in dismay.

"You're right. It's time. I have an assignment for you." Ingrid said weakly.

"Let me guess," Elsa narrowed her eyes. "You need more Augbine Herbs."

Ingrid shook her head. "No. It's time to move to the next stage of my plan. You will be leading them on this mission."

Elsa frowned. "Me? What about your head mercenary, Janus De Vesques?"

"I sent him to run a little errand for me in Arendelle." Ingrid noticed Elsa's panicked expression on her face. "Oh, no. Don't worry. It has nothing to do with your precious sister or the Warriors," she scoffed. "See what I mean? Sentimentalism makes you weak. No, I sent Janus to eliminate our mole."

"Tobias?"

"Correct. I figured he's been selling us out. No wonder the Warriors knew we were going to Quodrun," Ingrid spat, though in her weakened state. "That ungrateful rat. After everything I've done for him." She coughed, and turned to Elsa. "Prometheus won't return so soon, so as the Pilgrim's Apprentice, you will be making sure the mission is successful without any outside interference."

"I can't help it if my sister or the Warriors show up, you know."

"Frankly, I don't care." Ingrid replied coldly. "And remember our agreement."

"How could I forget?" Elsa said sarcastically.

"Whether your sister knows the truth or not, her life is still in my hands." Ingrid reminded her. "Tobias might be dead, but I still have agents in Arendelle willing to assassinate the Princess at my command."

Elsa clenched her fist, but knew that there was nothing that she could do. Ingrid held all the winning cards, and the witch knew it. "What do you want me to do?" She said through gritted teeth.

"Gather the Elemental Sorcerers. At nightfall, you'll be leading them to the city of Srevnjor to retrieve a map for me."

"Map?" Elsa asked.

Ingrid's lips curled upward slightly into a small sly smile.


	23. Chapter 21: Trading Post

Chapter Twenty One

Trading Post

**MELODY**

They arrived at the edge of the trading post and were greeted by the cold stares of the dull skinned locals. The population was made up of a fair mix of merfolk and octopids, unlike the kingdom of Atlantica. _That had to be a relief to Tracy at the very least_, Melody hoped. The former sea witch still seemed unsettled for some reason, which she had refused to reveal. Melody fervently hoped that Tracy's secret wouldn't end up landing them in a dark cell somewhere. They still had to get back to Arendelle as fast as they could.

It was easy to forget about the mission at hand, since Melody had returned to her first love, the ocean. She had to remind herself to remain focused on their objective: retrieve the _Qa'nneth _and reunite with the Warriors in Arendelle to figure out their next step in taking down the Pilgrim and the League of Sorcerers. The thought of Elsa working with their enemies still unnerved her, and deep down, a part of her still hung on to the hope that Elsa had a glimmer of good left in her.

As they swam past the shops in the trading post that were made out of wood and rock, Tracy had slowly shrunk behind Melody, and the latter chose not to say anything about it. For a place that had so many octopids, she thought that Tracy would have been more comfortable in Eiden as compared to Atlantica. However, that wasn't the case, though Melody didn't know why. Suddenly, as they passed an alley, the two girls found their paths blocked by a mixed group of octopids and merfolk.

"Spare some change?" one of the octopids said.

"Or whatever that's valuable." Another said ominously.

"We ain't picky. We'll take whatever we can get." A bulky merman added, leaning in close in a threatening manner.

"Is this what you were afraid of?" Melody glanced at Tracy who kept her eyes forward.

"You could say that." Tracy's eyes looked past the menacing merman before her, fixated on a very specific octopid who was pushing his way forward through the group of raiders.

"Stop! Don't you dare touch her!" The octopid roared, shoving the rest of the raiders out of his path and wrenched the bulky merman's arm viciously, pulling him away from Tracy and Melody. "That's my sister!"

"Sister?" Melody was baffled, her now wide eyes darting between Tracy and the male octopid that hovered before them. _What was going on?_

"Tracy?" The octopid said, his gaze fixed on her, unable to believe that she was actually floating in front of him.

"Harry." Tracy shifted uncomfortably.

Everyone stared at her. That included the mixed gang of octopids and merfolk, her brother and even Melody. The mermaid was at a loss for what to do, looking on as her companion avoided eye contact with the male octopid that was apparently her brother. In all the time they had known each other, which frankly wasn't exactly that long, Tracy had never mentioned anything about a brother.

Melody subtly sized Harry up. He, like Tracy, had tan skin, sharp piercing brown eyes as well as blue tentacles. The octopid had a head of black hair which dropped down to his broad shoulders, was tall and well muscled, and looked like someone no one would dream of messing with.

"Is-is it really you?" Harry stared at Tracy.

"Who else?" Tracy mumbled.

"My baby sister!" Harry fell on Tracy, embracing her in a bear hug in front of the crowd watching them.

"Alright, alright!" Tracy squirmed, and looked relieved when Harry let go of her.

"Baby sister?" Melody cocked her thick eyebrow.

Harry turned his attention to Melody. "You…" He was stunned and growled. "You're-"

"Woah, woah, calm down!" Tracy shouted, waving her arms in front of her brother. "She's a friend."

"Then why does she look like the mermaid that our relatives told us about?!" Harry bellowed, gesturing wildly.

Melody cringed. Tracy's brother clearly had a temper, and had roughly reacted the same way as Tracy when they had first met back in the Dark Zone, only Harry was way more aggressive.

"She's innocent! I swear!" Tracy screeched, glaring fiercely at her brother. "She didn't kill our mother! Our family lied to us!"

Harry hesitated, and remembered that the rest of his cohort was still watching the entire scene play out. He scowled and turned around. "What are y'all looking at?!" The octopid snarled menacingly. "Get out of here!"

The group of octopids and mermen scrambled out of the alley, leaving Harry alone with Tracy and Melody. He then turned back to Tracy. "How are you so sure that she's who she says she is?" He glanced at Melody suspiciously.

"I've known and worked with her for a while now," Tracy defended the mermaid bravely. "She saved my life, Harry. If she really was the killer our relatives made her out to be, do you think you would be seeing me here in front of you today?"

He blinked, letting it sink in for a moment. Then, he turned to Melody. "Thank you." He grabbed Melody's hand and shook it firmly. "And I'm sorry for the outburst," He ran a hand through his thick black hair. "I sometimes let my emotions get the better of me."

"It's fine." Melody withdrew her hand politely. She had seen enough of Tracy's behaviour and wasn't surprised that her brother was remarkably similar in certain aspects of his personality. "My name's Melody."

"I know," Harry said. "Tracy and I heard about you when we were still kids." He glanced at Tracy.

"So, Tracy never told me she had an older brother." Melody glanced at her friend, who avoided eye contact with her.

"Well, it's been a while." Tracy muttered awkwardly. "Five years, in fact." She glared at Harry.

Now it was Harry' turn to look away, red faced. "I-I'm sorry."

"What do you mean?" Melody asked, confused by the family drama.

"This moron left the Dark Zone behind. Left _me_ behind with our remaining relatives," Tracy hissed, growing increasingly angry. "A short while after we learnt that our mother died, he just upped and bailed without a goodbye. All he left behind was some crummy note saying that he was moving to Eiden to start a new life for himself."

"You know as well as I do that we had no future in the Dark Zone." Harry said, his face flushing red with embarrassment. "I _had_ to leave."

"Yeah, and that meant leaving your baby sister behind to fend for herself." Tracy snapped.

"But you weren't alone. You had our relatives." Harry protested feebly.

"You and I both knew that they were scum and I would have been better off together with you!" Tracy shouted. "But no, you wanted to start a new life _by yourself_!"

Right there and then, it clicked in Melody's mind. No wonder Tracy was uncomfortable about the prospect of coming to Eiden! She knew that Harry had fled to the trading post years ago, and didn't want to run into her older brother for fear of dredging up painful feelings and reopen old wounds. Feeling a pang of sympathy for the former sea witch, she desperately wanted to envelop Tracy in a hug, but decided that now wasn't the right time, given her current state of fury.

"I don't know how many more times I can apologize," Harry said. "But I really am sorry. I was stupid."

"What do you mean '_was_'?" Tracy hissed.

"I thought of going back to the Dark Zone to find you. Many times, believe me," Harry explained. "But…I was too ashamed to try."

Tracy slapped him hard across the cheek, and Melody gaped in shock silently, looking away as extreme awkwardness crept over her, having witnessed the private family drama. Harry recovered from the blow and looked at his sister, his expression a mixed bag. Then, he reached out and embraced Tracy in another hug. The former sea witch struggled for a bit, before relenting and wrapping her arms tightly around her big brother.

"I'm sorry, sis." Harry whispered.

"You know, I really hate you sometimes." Tracy complained as she squeezed him tighter.

Uneasily, Melody looked in another direction as the two long lost siblings reconciled. _Now this is awkward. _

_###_

The two Warriors sat in the corner of a poorly lit club at a large table with comfortable cushions and chairs, surrounded by creatures of all sorts. Octopids, merfolk, starfish, turtles, eels, manta rays and so many others that Melody couldn't count how many different species there were present in that room. And that was just the number of species. The entire club was crammed full of many of the various types of creatures, and it was a wonder the duo had managed to find a table.

"Here," Harry appeared out of the crowd carrying a plate, and Melody noticed that the creatures made way for him as he headed towards them. "Try these." He put the plate down on the table, and Melody stared at it, trying to mask her disgust.

The plate was filled up with thick brown substances that looked sticky, and Melody guessed that it was some kind of local cuisine. To her horror, she thought she saw something still moving on the plate.

"It's a local delicacy." Harry explained, noticing the mermaid's expression. "It's a favourite here."

Without a second thought, Tracy plopped one in her mouth and chewed. "Oh you gotta try it," she gestured to Melody with her mouth full. "It's really good."

Hesitantly, Melody picked one up with two fingers. _It would be rude if she declined_, she thought as she placed the dreadful substance in her mouth. A horrible sensation overtook her, and Melody fought hard to not let it show on her face. It tasted so strange that she couldn't even identify how she felt, and all she could do was swallow it quickly while trying to keep a straight face.

"You girls want more?" Harry asked. "It's on the house."

"No thanks," Melody gulped. "I had a heavy meal before this."

"Wait, you did?" Tracy asked innocently and received a light punch below the table from the mermaid.

Harry sat down at the table. "Alright then. If there's anything else you want to eat, just say the word. My people will gladly whip something up."

"Your people?" Melody could feel her taste returning to her, the revolting feeling now disappearing slowly as she secretly took sips of water to quell the horrid sensation.

"Yeah." Harry grinned proudly. "I own the place, after all."

"Get out of here. You? Own this club?" Tracy snorted. "Wait, you're serious?"

"That's hurtful." Harry said, offended. "What, you thought I didn't have it in me, didn't you?"

"Of course," Tracy replied bluntly. "You were always a simple octopid. Not very bright."

"It runs in the family."

"How did you manage all this?"

"Hah." Harry smirked. "I arrived in Eiden with nothing but the clothes on my back, but then I joined the East Side Raiders and rose through the ranks. Eventually, I became the leader of the East Siders after their last leader was slaughtered by Orkando."

"Orkando?" Melody asked.

"He's the biggest merchant in this trading post, and our most hated enemy." Harry explained. "But anyway, I became the boss after that, and the East Siders took more territory and became the most successful raiding faction in the history of Eiden. Now, we own shops, businesses, this club, and even get some profits from the weaker merchants. We East Siders have it made here." His boastful smirk turned into a scowl. "Except for Orkando, of course. We're just waiting for the right moment to get rid of him, but he's too well protected now."

Melody listened intently to the octopid as he rattled on and on about his accomplishments. _So he's a gang lord_, she thought to herself. Rather different from how Tracy had turned out, but Melody couldn't help but think that if Tracy hadn't resolved to join the Warriors, she might have gone down a similar path as her brother.

"Well, you've proved me wrong. You're not a total loser." Tracy grinned, and her brother grinned back.

"I'm sorry, but can I ask you something?" Harry was a gangster, but Melody decided that she could use that to her advantage.

"Yeah?" The octopid looked at her lazily.

"You have a hold over the merchants in the trading post right?"

"That's right."

"Do you by any chance know if any of them has a bronze amulet on sale?" Melody asked, glancing at Tracy, who seemed to understand where her friend was steering the conversation.

"Yeah, it's a thin circular piece of bronze with a flat red garnet in the middle," Tracy added. After all, she herself was a _Ha'naeth_ and was way more familiar with what the _Qa'nneth_ looked like and how it worked. "And it's supported by a bronze handle, like…this long." She gestured with both hands to illustrate how long the amulet handle was, which was relatively on the short side, Melody noted to herself.

"Ah. _That_ amulet." Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Why?"

"It's not for sale." He explained. "A while back, a foreign ship sank into Eiden's waters. The East Siders, together with the other factions raced there to raid what we could, but Orkando's gang was way faster than us. He took the amulet for himself."

"And he never sold it?"

Harry shook his head and spat. "That idiot likes to keep rare trinkets in his own shop."

"Has anyone ever tried stealing from him?" Tracy asked.

"How do you think our last leader died?"

"Oh." Melody swallowed. "Do you know where he keeps them though?"

"Why?" Harry stared at her. "You got a death wish or something?"

"Just playing the cards in my hand." Melody said cryptically, not wanting to reveal too much information to the octopid. It would probably open up a can of worms, and as it was, she already had enough problems on her hands. "Could you point me in the right direction?"

Harry shook his head. "It's your funeral." He gestured to the door. "Once you exit the club, turn right and head to the last shop. You'll see a big sign called 'Orkando's Best'. He keeps all his most valuable items in a cupboard in his private office," he glanced back at her. "At this time of night, Orkando and his men will probably be on a break, though the place might still be guarded."

"Thanks." Melody said, getting up from the table.

"Uh…Melody?" Tracy shot her a glance. "Are you sure you wanna do this?"

"We don't really have any other choice, do we?" Melody set her jaw. "Stay here. I'll be back as soon as I can." With that, she swam into the crowd, pushing her way through toward the exit. To her relief, she finally emerged out of the dimly lit club and out onto the evening scene. It was already fully dark outside, with the streets lit by glowing panels of the merchants' shops, many of which were still open. The trading post was still bustling with the citizens and foreigners, located in the same area as the clubs, restaurants and other amenities.

Melody turned right per Harry's instructions, and floated down the street towards the last shop at the end of the stretch. Truth be told, she sort of missed the life of adventure, the feeling of adrenaline on a mission such as this one. Although she was perfectly content with her life as a student in Copenhagen High, she still missed the sea, the danger, and the thrill of being with the Warriors in the midst of battle.

However, the predicament they were stuck in now was a tricky one. Stopping an evil warlord was one thing, but now she had to resort to stealing from a corrupt merchant in order to serve the greater good? Melody couldn't decide if the ends should justify the means, and where she would draw the line if she were faced with another more extreme situation than the one she was in now. Nevertheless, it had to be done. Otherwise, there would be no other way to even the playing field against the Pilgrim and the League of Sorcerers.

As she neared the end of the street, Melody's eyes darted around subtly while keeping a relaxed body posture to pass off as yet another random passerby. The last shop had a huge billboard labelled in great neon letters: Orkando's Best, and it appeared to be empty for now, and there were no traders or staff in the vicinity. _It's now or never. _

Quietly, she slipped into the shop, half expecting someone to leap out at her. Fortunately, no one did. Looking around the compound, she saw another door that presumably led to a private office. Ignoring the rest of the tradable goods lying around in the main body of the shop, she swam past the counter and turned the door knob. The door inched open and revealed the private office, to her surprise. _Huh_, she thought to herself. _Not locked. Orkando must be one of those complacent rich folks. _

She swam into the private office and swiftly closed the door behind her as quietly as she could, and then scanned the room. A pile of records lay atop a desk carved out of rock, books and files strewn all across the room's shelves. There were a couple of well carved rocks used as chairs that were scattered across the room, and at the corner of the office was the cupboard that Harry had spoken of. Floating over to it, Melody gave the handle a gentle tug, expecting it to be locked, but it gave way easily, and the cupboard swung open.

Her eyes fell on the items inside the cupboard, dumped together all in a messy pile. Trinkets, gold, silver, mysterious looking bits, but the amulet that Tracy had described was nowhere to be seen! And Melody was sure that she would have spotted it purely on the vast description that Tracy had given. It sounded so unique that she was sure that she wouldn't miss it, but it just wasn't there. Melody frowned and tried to figure out her next move, but at that moment she felt a hard blow to the back of her head, causing her to be knocked off balance and her vision went spotty.

She fell to the ground, and with great effort turned herself over, still dazed by the strength of the blunt force dealt to her. A pot bellied merman with a dark green tail stared down at her, his fists clenched. He was bald and had an unkempt beard that made him look like someone who simply didn't care about his appearance. _He must be Orkando. _

"Trying to steal my treasures?" the merman sneered in a rather high pitched voice. "You wouldn't be the first to try…and fail."

"Orkando, I presume." Melody rubbed the back of her head, still seeing double of everything. Her head throbbed and she felt sick.

Orkando's fat lips curled upwards in a sinister fashion as a couple of his goons filed into the private office to join him. "Then you know what happens to people who cross me."

Through her blurred and spinning vision, Melody felt helpless. _No point in fighting my way out_, she reasoned to herself as two mermen took her by the arms and dragged her away. If the tales of his ruthlessness were true, she knew she didn't have much of a chance against Orkando and his lackeys in her dazed state.


	24. Chapter 22: Family Ties

Chapter Twenty Two

Family Ties

**TRACY**

"Your friend's cocky," Harry smirked, shoving a couple of the delicacies into his mouth. "Probably gonna get herself killed."

"I wouldn't bet on that." Tracy rebutted as she watched her friend squeeze her way through the crowd. "Wait till you see her fight."

"Fighting's one thing. Fighting _Orkando_ is another."

"Is this Orkando really as bad as you say he is?"

"Worse." Harry said with his mouth full. "He publicly executes anyone who crosses him."

"Okayyyy," Tracy shuffled in her seat. "That _is_ bad."

"So, where's your stuff?" Harry asked.

"What do you mean?"

"You're moving here to Eiden to stay right? Where's your bags? I'll have my guys bring them over. Our rooms are just upstairs." He pointed at a staircase at the opposite end of the club that apparently led up to some sort of living space.

"Ahhh," Tracy paused. _How best to say this?_ "I'm not staying, Harry."

Harry blinked in confusion. "I thought you came to Eiden to seek a new home. Had enough of the Dark Zone and decided that it was time to bail."

Tracy shook her head. "I wish I could tell you that, but I moved out of the Dark Zone a while back. I've been living up on the surface on Melody's home turf."

"Surface?"

"She's a mermaid-human hybrid or something-you know what? It's tough to explain." Tracy snorted. "It's kinda like how I can turn into a human and back."

"Wait, you could do that?"

"Clearly you weren't around by the time I learnt that." Tracy rolled her eyes.

"Never was any good at all that magic stuff." Harry popped another piece in his mouth. "Mother gave up on me, remember?"

"Maybe you would've been good at it if you'd tried."

"Nah."

"Too late anyway. Doesn't matter now," Tracy said. "So yeah, I haven't been back in the Dark Zone for quite a while now."

"Then what have you been doing?" Harry looked confused. "And why exactly are you here if you're not looking for a new home?"

"Melody and I are here for that amulet we told you about," Tracy explained. "The _Qa'nneth _that Orkando took from the shipwreck."

"Why?"

"Long story." Tracy shifted again in her seat. This wasn't a can of worms she wanted to open.

"I've got all night, sis." Harry leaned back in his chair comfortably.

"Fine. Melody and I are helping a friend to get the _Qa'nneth_ to protect her from a witch who's a _Ha'naeth_ like me. Our friend's sister went rogue and joined a murderous secret society called the League of Sorcerers, and we've been trying to bring them down and save our friend's sister." Tracy finished, and held her breath.

Harry stared at her incredulously, and Tracy could feel herself growing impatient. _At least say something!_ Then, her brother broke out into a fit of laughter, attracting attention from the surrounding patrons of the club. Tracy avoided eye contact with everyone, uneasy at her brother's reaction. Why was he laughing?

"Ohh that's rich," Harry finally managed to get in a few words without cracking up again. "And here I thought you were supposed to be the witch in the family."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh Tracy," Harry sniggered. "I thought I strayed far enough from what Mother wanted for us. But you," he shook his head and laughed again. "You're an even bigger disappointment than I am."

"Hey-"

"At least when I left the whole witches and wizards nonsense behind, I still came to Eiden and made a name for myself." Harry sneered. "Head of the East Siders, owning half of the market and this club. I came out on top in the end. But you? Our family always had high hopes for you, but you've sunken even lower than me. And even lower than that shipwreck." He snorted at his own joke.

"That ain't funny, Harry. It was my friend's parents who were on that ship."

"Whatever."

"I did what I thought was right." Tracy argued. "I made my fair share of mistakes along the way, but then I decided that being a sea witch and being evil wasn't the way. That's not the life I wanted for myself."

"And so you joined the good guys." Harry said sarcastically.

"Yeah. And what's wrong with that?" Tracy looked at him defensively.

Harry chuckled and shook his head. "I just never thought I would see the day."

"_In the first place_, you never expected to see me again," She retorted acidly. "That takes away your right to judge me."

"You're right, you're right." Harry held up his hands in defeat. "I'm just shocked that you became a do-gooder. I always thought that you would become like Mother."

"Mother helped us both see that we didn't want to end up like her," Tracy said, growing more confident. "And while you left to become a _scumbag_ gang lord who feeds off weaker merchants, I left to forge a name for myself as far from evil as I possibly could."

"_Scumbag?_" Harry was taken aback. "That's harsh, sis."

"But that's the truth, ain't it?" Tracy said. "You prey on other people, making them fear you so that you can rise to the top, all the while fooling yourself into thinking you made it big by yourself."

"Now _you_ don't get the right to judge me either," Harry abruptly got up from the table snarling, his face turning red. "Just because you're a do-gooder now, running with a new crowd, doesn't mean you're better than me!"

"You're right, I'm not." Tracy said coldly. "But at least I'm _trying_ to be better than what our family taught us. Maybe you should think about trying too." With that, she got up and swam past her brother and into the mass of bodies. She pushed her way out of the club and onto the street and groaned.

This was not how she wanted things to unfold. Well, in truth, she never wanted to come to Eiden for this exact reason. She had feared that she would end up in a disagreement with her brother because of how different they both turned out to be, but she hadn't expected it to get as heated as it did in the club. With a tentacle, she flipped a stone off the sidewalk in frustration and headed down the street, hoping to catch up with Melody.

It was then that from afar, she could make out Melody's salmon pink tail, flanked by two other dark blue tails that belonged to tall mermen. Something was wrong. Keeping her distance, Tracy squinted and watched as a pot bellied merman with a green tail and a scruffy appearance came out of the shop, wearing something around his neck. She ventured slightly nearer, hiding behind a large crate outside one of the other shops, and saw… _the Qa'nneth!_ Everything in her told her to immediately leap into action, ambush the group of mermen, rescue Melody, retrieve the _Qa'nneth_ and get out of Eiden as fast as they could.

However, her time with the Warriors had borne fruit. Being around people like Melody and Elsa had taught her a little patience, restraint and a few tactics. There was a good chance she could take them all, but what about Melody? From where she was, Tracy could see that she wasn't putting up much of a fight. What if one of the merman slit her throat during the scuffle? Tracy shuddered. That certainly wouldn't do. She decided that it would be best to remain hidden and follow them to see where they took Melody.

She tailed the group of hostile merfolk and Melody, ducking behind canisters and storage crates whenever it looked like someone was about to turn around. Eventually, they went into a building that was guarded by a couple of burly mermen who she assumed were prison guards. Then, after a short while, she saw the group of merfolk emerge from the building, laughing and talking as if nothing had happened. She looked at the building as the hostiles departed out of sight. The place was probably the city's prison. There was no way she was going to get in there and get Melody out without being spotted. She just didn't have that kind of tactical or stealth skills. If the roles were reversed, Melody would have been able to get Tracy out without much difficulty, but unfortunately that wasn't the case. Tracy grimaced. She didn't have any other option.

###

"So you've come crawling back." Harry said disdainfully as he watched Tracy swim up the stairs of the club to the second floor. "What, your high and mighty pals kicked you out of their club of saints?"

"Look," Tracy swam up to meet him face to face, ignoring the fact that they were surrounded by the gang members of the East Side Raiders who worked for Harry. "I know we have our differences. But can we put them aside for a while and continue arguing later? Melody's been taken prisoner."

"Let me guess." Harry smirked. "She went to Orkando's Best."

"Yeah."

"And got caught."

"I saw a fat guy ordering his mermen to drag her away and they tossed her in a guarded building further into the city."

"Orkando," Harry narrowed his eyes. "Well I warned her, but she didn't listen. So now she got caught and thrown into the city jail. That's not my problem."

"Harry!" Tracy shouted pleadingly. "You gotta help me."

He shook his head with a sincerely apologetic look on his face. "I'm sorry, I really am, but there's nothing I can do. In the morning, Orkando's gonna hold a public execution and impale your friend in front of the entire town of Eiden." He paused, letting a hint of sadness enter his voice. "Just like he did to our ex-leader."

"Listen to me," Tracy grabbed her brother's hands. "I know we don't see eye to eye on a lot of things, but even you know that what Orkando is doing to this town is wrong. And we can stop him. Harry, _we can_ stop him together. I know that deep down, you know this is wrong."

He gently tugged his hands away from her and furrowed his brows. Tracy held her breath in anticipation as he remained uncharacteristically quiet for a long time. Then, he looked up at her. "I…have an idea."

**MELODY**

Pins and needles shot through her body as she was pulled out of the cell the guards had tossed her in the night before. Being trapped in a claustrophobic space with her body bent over double was more than enough to make her feel like she had been squeezed into a tin can. Spending the night locked up in a dingy dark cell with barely enough space had to be one of the worst experiences ever. Sure, there was the time when Tracy's mother had trapped her in a prison of ice, but that was a long time ago, and this was different. Back then, she had been innocent. This time, she had committed a legitimate crime, and though it was against the biggest crime lord in Eiden, it probably didn't make much of a difference.

Melody winced as her hands were tightly bound behind her back and she was forced out of the building by two guards into the light of day. The sun pierced through the surface of the water and rays of sunshine were cast irregularly across the seabed, shifting constantly. Then, she saw Orkando and a couple of his own gang waiting for her.

"Good morning." Orkando grinned wickedly, and Melody noticed that the _Qa'nneth_ amulet that Tracy had described was hanging around his neck. "Time to meet the reaper."

Two of Orkando's mermen took over from the guards, pushing her roughly towards the centre of the trading post.

"Don't you think I should at least get a last meal or something?" Melody said, trying to stall for time as she racked her brain for a way out. "I haven't had anything to eat since I arrived in Eiden."

"You'll get nothing but a spear through your heart." Orkando took pleasure in uttering every word slowly. "Such is the fate of all those who cross Orkando."

"Referring to yourself in third person now. Nice." Melody muttered. She didn't see a way out while being surrounded by Orkando's goons and the citizens that flooded the streets, but hopefully Tracy was nearby with a plan to spring her. If she was, then there was no time like the present. However, Tracy was nowhere in sight and Melody was forced through the crowded marketplace and into the centre of the trading post, where a multitude of citizens were gathered. Already, the news of an outlaw attempting to steal from Orkando had spread like wildfire.

The onlookers were gathered in a circle, with three of Orkando's mermen in the centre, wielding spears. This didn't look good. Melody was pushed to the seabed and Orkando floated in slowly after her. He drew a shining sword, no doubt something he raided from a wealthy merchant, and cleared his throat in a vastly irritating manner.

"This," he began in his high pitch voice, trying his best to be heard above the chatter of the crowd. The ambient noise quickly died down. "Is the eighth time I'm forced to do this. Everyone knows I hate public executions."

Melody rolled her eyes. If he was going to do it, then he should just get on with it. Incapacitated, there was not much she could do to escape. She didn't have any of her weapons or tools with her as they were back up on the surface in Arendelle. There was no way she could escape singlehandedly. _Where was Tracy?! _Thenout of the corner of her eye, she saw a familiar octopid inch her way to the front of the crowd.

"But when thieves and robbers try to take what belongs to me, they give me no choice. Let this be an example!" Orkando raised his sword.

"Yeah," Melody spoke up suddenly in a loud voice, and Orkando blinked in surprise. "Let _this_ be an example!"

A long purple tendril of black magic shot out of the crowd and latched onto Orkando's sword which was still raised above his head. Tracy held the other end of the tendril and gave it a hard jerk. It flew out of the fat merman's hand, and Tracy forced it downwards. The sword was etched into the sand firmly, leaving Orkando unarmed.

Before Orkando or his goons could react, three pairs of merfolk from Harry' gang emerged from the second row of the crowd at three different angles, quickly snatching the spears out of the goons' hands and incapacitating them.

Harry forced his way forward through the crowd and from behind Orkando, he wrapped a long tentacle around the merman's body, lifting him high above the seabed.

"What took you so long?" Melody said as Tracy sliced the ropes that bound her wrists with a knife.

"I don't know," Tracy shrugged nonchalantly. "Just waiting for the right moment."

"Better late than never," Melody grinned, rubbing her wrists which had turned red from the binding.

"This," Harry growled and slammed Orkando to the ground. The breath went out of the fat merman as if he was a deflated balloon. "This is for Brayten. Do you even remember him?"

"I don't even know who you are." Orkando caught his breath and spat at the octopid.

"I'm the Head of the East Siders." Harry leaned in close, his tentacle still wrapped around the merman. "You killed our ex-leader."

"So what are you gonna do?" Orkando hissed. "Kill me? With all these people watching?"

"I'm sorely tempted." Using another tentacle, Harry grabbed the sword out of the sand and held it above Orkando.

"Harry!" Melody shouted.

"Don't do it!" Tracy raced towards her brother.

"Relax," Harry snorted, tossing the sword aside. "Everyone in this town knows he's corrupt. He's going to rot in jail for the rest of his life." He turned to the defiant Orkando. "Death is too easy." He smirked. "And no one's going to save you. Right now, I have my guys raiding your office to expose all your nasty businesses to the authorities. You're finished."

"You…" Orkando seethed. "You're no better than I am! You're a crook! And I'll show them!"

"You're not going to show anyone anything for a long time." Melody yanked the _Qa'nneth_ amulet off his neck. "Goodbye, Orkando."

Harry handed the red-faced merman off to two of his own octopids, and instructed them to escort him to the prison building together with the rest of Orkando's gang who had already been ambushed and rounded up.

"I hate to say it, but he's got a point." Tracy said in a low voice as the crowd began to disperse, murmuring amongst themselves. "You may have dethroned Orkando, but you're technically still a crime lord too."

"I've been thinking a lot about what you said yesterday night," Harry looked at Tracy. "And you were right."

"Say what now?"

"Deep down, I knew this was all wrong," Harry began. "So I'm going to drop the protection racket and repay the merchants what I siphoned from them. The East Siders are going legit from now on."

"Wow." Melody glanced at Tracy, who seemed just as incredulous.

"Yeah I know it sounds cheesy." Harry muttered. "It's gonna be hard, but I want to do something right with my life for once."

"You already have," Tracy gave her brother a playful punch on his shoulder. "Mother would have been proud."

"I doubt that." Harry muttered.

"Whatever. _I'm_ proud of you." Tracy grinned and hugged her brother.

"You know something?" Harry said quietly as he let go of her.

"What?"

"I would deny ever saying this, but I'm proud of you too. You've come a long way and although I made fun of you last night, I only did it to feel better about myself." He said, avoiding eye contact with either of the girls. "I'm glad that you're one of the good guys."

"And now so are you." Tracy ruffled his hair playfully. "I'm sorry, Harry. But we have to go."

What, the fate of the world depends on it and all that?"

"Something like that."

"You better come visit soon." Harry hugged Tracy again.

"I will. Promise."

Melody glanced at Harry and nodded gratefully in his direction. He returned the nod, and swam away into the crowd and out of sight.

"So, back to Arendelle?" Tracy looked at Melody.

"Yeah," Melody glanced down at the _Qa'nneth_ in her hand. "We may have won this battle, but the war is still far from over."

Writer's Commentary:

The entire subplot under the sea that has spanned three chapters was all just to develop Tracy's character further. When I was beginning to plan this novel, I thought to myself: Where does Tracy need to go from here? She's already become one of the Warriors. The next step is to challenge her in a mental way, and make her question if she's doing the right thing.

Meeting her brother really shows her that she has come a long way, and that she's one of the good guys. Her brother is really rough around the edges, somewhat like her in the beginning, but it just goes to show how much she has changed. Hopefully this three chapter arc did the job.

Next, the Battle of Srevnjor.


	25. Chapter 23: The Battle of Srevnjor

Chapter Twenty Three

The Battle of Srevnjor

**ELSA**

Trudging across the rocky terrain, Elsa led the way up the hill, perspiring profusely. She rubbed her forearm against her sweaty forehead, and wiped away the perspiration in disgust. If there was one thing she absolutely hated, it was the heat. One would have thought that the climate would be a lot cooler since it was autumn, but no. Not in the region of Srevnjor. This wasn't exactly what she had expected when she woke up in the morning. Then again, she hadn't expected to do whatever she had already done in the past week. It was hard to believe that just a week ago, she was discontented with her mundane routine as the Queen of Arendelle. And now, she was the Pilgrim's Apprentice, the lead sorceress on the mission to Srevnjor.

"How far are we from the place?" Jade asked, extremely careful about where she placed her feet on the rocks.

"I don't think it's very far ahead," Elsa said, shielding her eyes from the glaring sun. "The Pilgrim wouldn't have teleported us into the middle of nowhere and expect us to retrieve the map for her quickly." She had explained the mission to the rest of the Elemental Sorcerers along the way, which left everyone with a whole lot of unanswered questions.

"I hope not." Jade gasped as she stepped on a rock that gave way beneath her weight. Fortunately, Jordan had grabbed her wrist with cat-like reflexes, steadying his older sister.

As usual, Deirdre remained sullen at the back of the mini entourage. Elsa was certain that the fiery sorceress wasn't pleased that she had been chosen to lead the mission as the Pilgrim's Apprentice. After all, that post had once been held by Deirdre, and it must have felt absolutely terrible to see someone else replace her. In a way, she could understand why Deirdre detested her so much, but now wasn't the right time to be thinking about that.

"I still don't get it." Jade said. "Why does the Pilgrim need the map?"

"She told me a story about a man who allowed himself to be possessed by a demon," Elsa explained. "The demon gave him supernatural longevity and invulnerability, and he became known as the Eternal King after conquering Ancient Hyutreno. Eventually, the combined armies of the surrounding kingdoms dethroned him and he was imprisoned in a secret dungeon. According to the Pilgrim, the story's real and happened four centuries ago. She says this map reveals where the Eternal King is being imprisoned." Elsa finished.

"Okay…" Jade raised an eyebrow. "I mean, I've seen strange things, but this is crazy."

"That's what I thought when I heard that the League of Sorcerers is real," Elsa muttered under her breath and she heard Jordan chortle.

"But where exactly is this map? Srevnjor's a big city."

"The Pilgrim told me that Jan-Prometheus sent the Knights to gather some intel for us." Elsa continued. "Apparently the map was acquired by a wealthy noble in Srevnjor. After the noble died, his priceless collection was donated to the museum of Srevnjor, where the map is now being kept, hidden in plain sight."

"Why would the Pilgrim tell _you_ all this?" Deirdre asked suspiciously.

"Maybe it's because she asked me to lead this mission." Elsa answered without turning around, trying to hide her exasperation at Deirdre's hackling. She was getting tired of being antagonized by the sorceress.

"Huh." Deirdre scoffed. "That's cute."

"What do you want me to do?" Elsa stopped and turned to face Deirdre. "It's not like I _asked_ to be the Pilgrim's Apprentice."

"And yet you are."

"That's not my fault. Look, I'm just doing what I have to. Why do you keep trying to start a fight?"

"Maybe it's because I think you don't belong with us." Deirdre hissed.

"You're right, I don't." Elsa set her jaw. "I was forced into all this without a choice. You think I want to be here in the middle of nowhere?"

"Woah woah, that's enough!" Jade inserted herself between the two sorceresses. "Let's not fight amongst ourselves. We're all on the same side, right?"

"Right." Deirdre smirked.

Elsa bit her lip, and continued up the steep hill without another word. Jade broke the silence yet again.

"Do you think the Pilgrim is gonna try to live forever?" Jade asked.

"I don't know," Elsa said truthfully. "But I think so. You said so yourself, she's dying. Why else would she want to get the map?"

"True." Jade said.

"While I was with the Pilgrim, I could tell that she wanted this pretty badly. Her magic potion's effects are growing weaker, and soon they won't be enough to save her from death anymore."

"I had hoped I was wrong. The thought of the whole Eternal King thing gives me the creeps. I mean, can you imagine demons being real?"

"Can't blame you for that." Elsa shrugged. She felt in her pants pocket for a piece of paper. It was still there. _Good_, Elsa thought to herself. The idea had come to her after the encounter with the Warriors in Quodrun. Upon seeing her old teammates, she had ached to rush to their aid and reassure them that she had not turned against them. It was not so much about her worry of their perception of her, but more of letting Anna and the rest know that she was still on their side. However, there was no feasible way of doing that with the League around.

Even though Ingrid might not be present with her, Elsa couldn't risk warning her sister or the Warriors. There was no telling if anyone was spying on her for Ingrid. For all she knew, the witch would know the second she dropped her facade, and that was not something she could risk. Therefore, she had quickly scribbled a note during her preparation for this mission. Elsa patted her pocket subtly. She just hoped that she would find an opportunity to slip her old friends the note while the rest of the League wasn't looking. She was counting on the fact that Anna and the rest would show up in Srevnjor at the right time and make a stand against the League. If the Warriors and the League missed each other, then that would mean her plan could not even be put into action.

As the League reached the top of the hill overlooking the city of Srevnjor, Elsa surveyed the land. Like Ingrid had told her, the place was unfortified and it would be easy to enter the city without being stopped by any of the authorities. The city of Srevnjor had not seen war or any form of conflict for decades, and so their guard was down, leaving themselves open to waiting enemies. This wasn't going to be hard. All they had to do was wait till it was dark. Ingrid had given specific instructions that no matter what they did, it had to be under the cover of night.

Elsa glanced up briefly at the sun, her eyes narrowed to tiny slits in the blinding light. "It should be nightfall in about an hour's time. We can make our move then."

Jordan nodded, and so did his sister. Deirdre grunted in response, which at this point didn't surprise Elsa. She rolled her eyes as she watched Deirdre walk a short distance away to sit on a big rock by herself. Dealing with the fiery sorceress was getting tiring. Elsa had long since given up trying to make friends with her, but what vexed her was that Deirdre was constantly attempting to make things difficult for her. Elsa shook her head. This wasn't important right now. Getting the note to the Warriors was.

###

Finally after what seemed like forever, darkness enveloped the city of Srevnjor like a plague, eliminating every little bit of daylight. From where they were, the Elemental Sorcerers could see the city lights begin to light up one by one as it grew too dark to see. That was their cue. They headed into the city and navigated their way in the shadows to avoid attracting any attention.

_No wonder the League remains a myth_, Elsa mused to herself as they headed towards the museum located in the heart of Srevnjor. Upon reaching the museum, the rest of the League kept a lookout as Elsa froze the lock and broke it with a firm tug. Prometheus had done his homework and confirmed that all the businesses and places in Srevnjor locked up after sunset, and so the League would be free to break in without much resistance.

Elsa opened the door and they all filed into the empty museum with relative ease. However, once inside, they were spotted by a single guard on night shift.

"What are you doing here?" The guard shouted, walking towards them briskly from across the spacious foyer with his pistol in hand.

"I suggest you leave. We don't want to hurt you." Elsa said calmly.

"You're all under arrest." The guard raised his pistol, his eyes sweeping nervously between the party of four.

Deirdre took a step toward him, and he squeezed the trigger. As the bullet flew out, Deirdre quickly raised her hand, and the bullet was melted in midair, dropping into a puddle of melted metal messily on the ground. Jade aimed her hand at the guard, and delivered a short electrical blast to his chest. The guard dropped to the ground unconscious in front of the Elemental Sorcerers.

"You didn't have to do that." Elsa shot an annoyed look at Jade.

Jade shrugged. "The Pilgrim told us to never allow our enemies to escape."

"No one should know of our existence. No one should live to speak about us." Deirdre spat. "Next time, you better remember that."

Elsa glowered at Deirdre but didn't say a word. Doing things the League's way was a necessary evil that she had to adapt to, and there was nothing she could do about it.

The Elemental Sorcerers walked deeper into the museum, tightly packed as a group in case of any further resistance they would meet, and entered the hall of Ancient Archives. This part of the museum held artefacts from the time of the First Republic of Bergxine, long before the War waged by the Eternal King of Ancient Hyutreno. Ironically, the museum had no evidence of the League's existence even though its prized members were now standing in it.

Jordan rapped on a glass cabinet to get the attention of the others, and they went over to him to discover that he had located the map.

"That's it." Elsa glanced at the rolled up map that was being protected by a glass cabinet, with a description written on a metal plate in front of the exhibit. "The map that details the location where the Eternal King is being imprisoned."

Jade aimed at the wiring running across the ground and followed it to an alarm on the wall. She fired an electrical wave that short-circuited the alarm system, and when she was sure that it was down, she gave a thumbs-up to the rest.

Jordan smashed the glass with his elbow, and removed the map from the exhibit. Elsa took it from him carefully, and looked at it. The map was made out of a very thin and brittle parchment scroll that looked like it had existed for centuries. _It probably had._ She didn't dare to unroll the ancient artefact for fear that it would crumble. "We have what we came for," Elsa said slowly, a part of her still banking on the fact that the Warriors had yet to show up. "Let's go."

"We can't let you do that."

Elsa turned, and to her relief which she took great pains to hide, Anna and Maui stood in the doorway, blocking their only way out. _Finally. _

"You," Elsa called out as she passed the map back to Jordan, keeping up her facade. "I'm impressed. I didn't think you would figure us out."_ Actually, she had been counting on it. _

Anna folded her arms. "Don't underestimate the Warriors."

"Where's the rest of your gang?" Deirdre said in a mocking tone. "I count only two."

"So?"

"Last time, there were six of you, excluding Daltrey, and you couldn't beat us then." Jade replied. "How do you expect to stop us with just two of you?"

"You must be really confident to show up with half your team." Deirdre sniggered. "Not that it matters to us. Last time the Pilgrim let you all off. But this time, you're going to burn."

Elsa's heart lurched within her as she kept her demeanour calm and cold.

"Oh yeah?" Anna retorted. "Well, you're…you're…"

"Frost, she's stalling." Jade turned to Elsa. "Just give the word."

Elsa bit her lip. There was no way she was going to give the order for the League to attack her sister, but then if she didn't, then the game was over and the Pilgrim would have Anna killed anyway. Either way, it was a lose-lose situation, one that Elsa had found herself invariably trapped in.

And then just at the right moment, Elsa heard a thud and spun round to see Kristoff swinging across the room on a rope and Jordan knocked to the ground. Apparently Kristoff had been waiting silently on the second level, watching the exchange from the corridor above. He had then swooped down and hit an unsuspecting Jordan, grabbing the rolled up map out of his hands and he was now making his getaway.

Jade had realized it too, and angrily shot a network of electricity at the escaping Kristoff. He ducked gingerly beneath the parapet of the second storey corridor and the electricity dissipated on the wall of the museum. Anna and Maui also turned to run upon seeing that Kristoff had acquired the map.

"Stop them! Don't let them get away with the map!" Elsa shouted, knowing full well that the League would spring into action anyway. All she had to do was ensure everyone was too busy to notice her slip the Warriors the note in her pocket.

Deirdre raised both her hands and flames emerged from her hands with a whoosh, racing towards Anna and Maui. Instinctively, the demigod positioned himself in front of the incoming flames, stopping to block Anna, and the fire made contact with his body. It hit him, but did nothing to hurt him. Maui grinned at Deirdre, and then took off running after Anna.

"Go after the map but don't kill him. As long as we have the map, we can leave." Elsa said to Jordan, who nodded and the ground beneath his feet cracked and raised itself and him to the second storey, where he leapt over the parapet and took off running after Kristoff.

"Jade, Deirdre, you're with me." This time, Deirdre agreed without so much as a word of spite. "Let's go!" Elsa led the way after Maui, hoping that he would draw them away from Anna. And sure enough, the demigod did. He periodically stopped to challenge them, and when the three Elemental Sorcerers shot blasts of elemental magic at him, he danced away, buying Anna more time to escape.

"I'll go after her," Deirdre dashed off in pursuit of Anna. "She's not getting away."

"No, wait!" Elsa cried out but it was too late. Before she could stop Deirdre, she and Jade dove out of the way as Maui, who had transformed into a large brown ram, charged into their path, creating a huge dent in the wall.

Getting up quickly, Elsa spun round to face Maui, who had shape-shifted back into the form of a man.

"I believed in you, Elsa!" Maui shouted, his voice filled with hurt. "After all we've been through together, and you turn on us like this?"

"You're the one who abandoned us, remember?" Elsa said coldly, even though her heart was broken.

"At least I'm not a traitor. You give us no choice, Elsa."

"You know you can't win."

"I don't have to." Maui growled. With that, he bounded towards Elsa, and she tried to freeze him again, like she had done in Quodrun. He had learnt from that mistake. In a flash of light, he shape-shifted into a serpent and slid beneath her attack. She gasped and back-pedalled away from him as he slithered across the ground swiftly toward her, closing the gap between predator and prey. The demigod sprung up from the ground and coiled himself around her, swiftly squeezing the breath out of her.

Elsa could feel her vision blurring as she gasped for air, unable to counter Maui's offensive. Previously, she had been able to lower her own body temperature to the point where contact with her skin caused Maui's scales to freeze, but this time, he was too quick and she could feel herself slipping into unconsciousness before she could do anything. A ball of electricity hit the serpent squarely in the head, and he loosened his grip on Elsa.

Instantly, she took a big gulp of air and felt her senses return to her, watching as Jade advanced her attack against the stunned serpent. Maui slithered out of the way with lightning speed as Jade launched another blast of electricity toward him, and shape-shifted into a brown bull. He galloped towards Jade, and she was knocked into the air by the sheer force of impact. As she was in mid-air, two long tendrils of electricity emerged from her hands and she latched them onto Maui's bull horns. She pulled herself back towards him, and anchored herself to the ground, digging in her heels.

Elsa took the cue to join in the attack as Maui resisted the electricity, raising a mini snow storm that blinded the demigod. Then, she forcefully thrusted both hands at him, releasing a blinding coruscation of power, a tirade of ice that froze him solid as he let out one last bellow of defiance.

Jade released a breath of cold air. "That was…wow."

"That won't hold him for long." Elsa said, her eyes still on the frozen Maui. She could almost see a look that screamed traitor in his big black eyes. "Come on, we got to catch up with Deirdre." There was still a chance that she could pass Anna or Kristoff the note and hopefully, she wasn't too late.

**ANNA**

"Jump!" Anna hollered as she ran parallel to Kristoff's path. The hall that she was in was directly below the second storey where Kristoff was. The Elemental Sorcerer chasing him could somehow manipulate matter, and the ground had begun crumbling beneath Kristoff's feet as he ran for his life with the map in hand.

Anna followed from below, her eyes huge as saucers as she watched Kristoff leap away from the flooring beneath him that suddenly gave way. He landed on solid ground away from the huge chasm that now lay between him and his enemy. However, a gap in the ground did nothing to stop the Elemental Sorcerer. The wall beside Kristoff began to move, and the stone deformed, twisting itself around him.

"Catch!" He grunted and tossed the map out from the second storey down to her at the last second before he was completely incapacitated by the wall of stone.

Narrowly catching the map, Anna continued sprinting as she tore her eyes away from Kristoff. Right now, the priority was getting the map away from the League. But how was she going to make her escape? She couldn't get far without Maui to fly her out of Srevnjor. _Rightttt._ She hadn't thought that far ahead, but she would wing it as she went along.

"Ahh!" She yelped as she felt flames lick at the ends of her hair. _The Elemental Sorceress capable of manipulating fire was hot- no pun intended- on her heels! _Holding her strawberry blonde hair against the back of her head with her other hand to keep it from flying behind her as she ran, she turned a corner and slipped into another section of the empty museum. Before her pursuer could appear, Anna shut the door as quietly and quickly as she could, bolting them securely. With all her strength, she dragged a heavy table to bar the door. She turned around, and groaned.

_Wax statues?_ This was possibly the worst room she could have chosen to hide in, but it was too late to rectify her mistake now. Anna's head spun on a swivel as she surveyed the large room for the best place to hide. The room was filled with equipment designed to create wax statues, with some of the statues only having a steel frame to begin with, and Anna gathered that it was a place meant only for authorized personnel. That didn't make things any easier, but it did mean that she had some tools at her disposal to aid her against the fiery sorceress. _I'm wayyy out of my league here. _

Grunting came from the opposite side of the door as it refused to budge, and Anna hurried over to a large table and hid beneath it, taking a couple of handheld tools with her. She tucked them inside her pockets and they bulged out awkwardly, not that she could care less given her current predicament. Still clutching the map in her hand, she glanced behind her and noticed a gap in the wall that had apparently been cut to allow a staircase that led to the second storey.

_Choosing this spot was a horrible decision._ The other Elemental Sorcerer who had been pursuing Kristoff could come down from the second level, and she would find herself trapped between her enemies. As she was about to get up and change spots, the door exploded and the heavy table blocking the entrance blew up into smithereens. The fiery sorceress who had been chasing her walked into the room haughtily, and Anna pressed her body against the inner of the table, trying her hardest to breathe as quietly as possible.

"You can't hide!" The girl's sneering voice echoed throughout the room.

Reaching into her pocket, she drew out a metal tool that she couldn't identify, and cautiously peered out over the top of the table. The sorceress was in the centre of the room. With all her might, Anna hurled the tool near the entrance of the room, which was all the way on the opposite end. As the metal clanged to the ground and the sorceress whirled around to see where the noise had come from, Anna got up from her hiding spot and grabbed a plaster mold that was filled with wax.

"Hey!" she hollered at her pursuer.

The sorceress turned around to see the plaster mold being tossed at her. Instinctively, she raised a hand and heat radiated out, melting the mold. The liquid wax splattered all over her, drenching her entire body and causing her to flinch.

"Ugh!" The sorceress cried out and rubbed her eyes, shocked and incapacitated by the wax that covered her from head to toe.

Anna turned on her heels and made a desperate dash for the staircase, clutching the map in her hand tightly. Running into the male sorcerer was a risk, but it was one she was going to have to take. Three steps at a time, she sprinted up to the second storey and looked left and right. To her left was where the other sorcerer could possibly come from after having pursued Kristoff. Her only option was to go right.

A ball of fire narrowly missed her and exploded on the wall beside her, cutting out a huge block of stone from the wall. Anna looked down over the parapet to see the sorceress, still caked generously in wax, attempting to aim at her with her vision hindered. Vexed at missing her target, the sorceress screeched and tried again. This time, the coruscation of flames landed nearer to Anna, and she picked up her pace, bending low to reduce the chances of being spotted._ Now what? _

Anna ran through the corridor and ran down the staircase leading to another exhibition. Weapons. _Yes._ Knights' armour were lined up against the walls, and there was a vast array of weapons on display, all at her disposal. The map in one hand, Anna wrenched a rapier free from a knight's grip, she wielded it at hip level. Glancing back, she could hear the distant shouts of the sorceress from the other room.

"Ahh!" She ducked just in time just as an energy wave of electricity lashed out towards her. Before her stood the Eastern-looking girl she had seen in Quodrun, the one with dark brown hair. Anna tossed the map aside for the time being, and placed both hands on the hilt of her rapier.

"Where's Elsa?" Anna asked, her eyes locked on the girl.

"Don't worry. She'll be here shortly." Her new opponent chose a sword of her own from the vast armoury, a longsword, and held it tightly in both hands. An electrical surge from her hands lit up the longsword with bright blue crackling from the guard to the point.

"Wow, that's pretty cool. Wasn't expecting that." Anna gripped her own rapier a little tighter, drawing it up closer to her upper body.

The Elemental Sorceress lunged at her, and Anna dove out of the way. The longsword came down quickly, and Anna barely managed to raise her rapier in a parry with poor form. In the first place, she had never had any proper combat experience, only limited to some basic fencing lessons she had taken back in Arendelle when she was younger to pass the time as she grew up alone without her sister's company. It had been years, and this was a poor time to pick up fencing again.

Anna kicked out her enemy's leg from underneath her, and rolled away from the blade surging with electricity. As her opponent regained her balance, Anna quickly jabbed the pommel of her weapon against her wrist, causing her to drop the longsword. The electrical charge dissipated, leaving the enemy's weapon as it once was, a mere blade. Anna watched her opponent nurse her wrist. She wasn't going to deliver a killing stroke, that was not the point. _Again, no pun intended._ While the Elemental Sorceress was disarmed and temporarily stunned, Anna attempted to use the guard of the sword to deliver a blunt blow to her enemy to knock her out.

However, as she brought the rapier up in mid-motion, she found the weapon lifted out of her hand, levitating above her head. Then, the metal folded in on itself till the weapon was nothing more than scrunched up metal, and was tossed towards the opposite end of the room. It clanged loudly against the marble floor. She turned to see the male Elemental Sorcerer at the entrance, accompanied by the fiery one who was still drenched in wax, and with them…Elsa.

"Stop!" Elsa walked into the room, flanked by the other two Elemental Sorcerers. "Anna, we just want the map. Give it to us and we'll leave you alone."

"Not a chance." Anna inched towards the spot where she had tossed the map. The room was dark and unlit, so no one knew where the map was except her. However, she didn't see a way out, and her only solution was talking her way out of it. And hopefully, talking Elsa into seeing the error of her ways.

"Don't make things difficult," Elsa eyed her sister. "You don't have to get hurt like the others. Hand me the map."

"I still owe her for what she did to me!" The fiery sorceress hissed, spitting wax out of her mouth. Her hands glowed red with heat and she quickly tossed a fiery ball at Anna, who scurried away at the last second.

"No!" Elsa pulled the girl back roughly. "Stand down! That's an order."

The fiery sorceress scowled and looked like she wanted to protest further, but she didn't. The male sorcerer had gone to the other girl's side, helping her back to the side of the Elemental Sorcerers. They all stood in a line facing Anna.

Anna stopped just in reach of the map that lay behind an exhibit. "You know I can't give it to you. I can't let you do this."

"You don't have a choice."

"Oh yeah?" Anna bent and scooped up the map, and fled to the opposite end of the room. She was winging it as she went, and had no idea if she was running into a dead end or if there was another staircase or door that led to another place. She hoped fervently that it was the latter. However, before she could make it very far, the ground turned to ice and she slipped on the frictionless surface, sprawling hard on the ground. Still clutching the map in hand, she groaned and attempted to get up, only to fall back down in a heap.

Elsa strode over and knelt down beside her. "It's over. Stop trying to delay the inevitable."

"Elsa, I know everything now." Anna sat up. "About the past, our father, everything. Whatever the Pilgrim has over you, I promise, we'll fight her together."

"I'm sorry, Anna. This changes nothing." Elsa's expression remained unchanging. Either that, or she was doing a very good job at concealing her reaction.

_There went her trump card._ Anna stared up at her sister pleadingly, the map still in hand. "Please, don't do this. Come home."

"My home is with the League. It always has been." Elsa reached for the map and held on to it with one hand. "Now let go of the map."

"No." Anna narrowed her tear-filled eyes.

"There's no version of this where you win. You're outnumbered. The Warriors have fallen again. Don't make this harder on yourself." Elsa hissed.

Anna sighed and relented. Her sister was right. There was no point in fighting or resisting. After all, the League was way more powerful and there was absolutely no way she could fight her way out of Srevnjor with the map. She had no choice. Her grip on the map loosened and Elsa tugged it away from her, tossing it to the male Elemental Sorcerer standing a distance behind.

"What happened to you, Elsa?" Anna's voice quavered.

"For your own sake, don't try to come after me." With her back to the League, Elsa gripped Anna's coat in one hand, holding her up. A solid bar of ice formed in her other hand. "Go home and forget that any of this ever happened. Goodbye, Anna."

"No!"

The bar smashed against her left cheek and broke into many fragments of ice. Anna lay on the ground, dazed by the blow her sister had dealt to her. Never in her life would she have expected that, but yet, it had happened. Elsa had hit her - not hard enough to knock her unconscious - but it still hurt all the same. Even more so since it had been her sister who had dealt the finishing blow.

"Come on," Anna heard Elsa say as she walked away. "We're done here." Closing her eyes, Anna waited for the footsteps to fade away, knowing there was nothing more she could do against the Elemental Sorcerers. _Oh Elsa, when did we become enemies? _


	26. Chapter 24: Tension Part I

Chapter Twenty Four

Tension Part I

_Author's note: From this point on, chapters will be broken up. I realize that 3000 words (which is my minimum standard per chapter, some reaches 4000 and some even 5000) can be a little heavy going. The Battle of Srevnjor consisted of 5243 words! So, I'm going to break up my chapters into an average of 1500 words, maximum maybe 2000. We'll see how it goes, shall we?_

**ELSA**

"Excellent." Ingrid took the rolled up map carefully in both hands. "You've done well, Elsa. Tell me, how did it feel to lead the Elemental Sorcerers?"

Elsa remained silent, avoiding eye contact with her captor. Janus stood beside her silently as well. Apparently he had just returned from his own private mission that Ingrid had assigned him. _Looks like business is picking up for the League. _

"It doesn't matter. I have what I need." Ingrid glanced at Janus. "Did you eliminate the target?"

"Yes, Mistress." Janus said, hidden behind his mask.

"Who?" Elsa shot a suspicious look at Ingrid. A wave of anxiety swept over her.

"Tobias," Ingrid's lips curled. "I figured that he was the rat who sold us out."

"So you got your best mercenary to get rid of him?" A part of Elsa relaxed a little, knowing that Anna was still safe. But it did make her feel horrible because someone else still got killed.

"I do hate loose ends," Ingrid coughed. "I should have done this a long time ago after he had served his purpose in testing you." She turned back to Janus. "Anything else?"

"Actually, yes." Janus started slowly, his voice low. "In Arendelle, I overheard Tobias telling the Warriors your plans. He knew about your quest to find the Eternal King, and he told them about it."

"What?" Ingrid's voice grew louder with rising rage. "You let Tobias tell the Warriors about my plans?"

"By the time I broke into the prison, Tobias had already revealed everything to them. I'm sorry." Janus lowered his head.

A foreboding silence. "You fool." Ingrid started quietly. "You incompetent fool!" Her voice rose to a terrifying screech in the span of those three words and her eyes were wild with rage. "I gave you one job._ One job! _To shut the traitor up for good. And you let him tell our enemies my greatest secret?"

"I was too late."

"Yes, you were." Ingrid snarled. "Once again, your incompetence has jeopardized my plans. I warned you about that, remember? You insufferable gutter trash. I should have left you in Bruvesqk. Get out of my sight. I will deal with you later."

"My mistress, I-"

"OUT!" Ingrid screamed, her blood boiling. Dropping to a knee, she wheezed violently.

Janus looked like he wanted to go to her aid, but then hesitated and turned to leave, obeying her command.

As the mercenary left and she slowly regained her composure, she drew herself up and shot an acidic glance at Elsa. "Did _you_ run into any resistance in Srevnjor?"

Elsa bit her lip. "Yes."

"The Warriors again?" Ingrid hissed dangerously.

"They tried to stop us."

"And your sister?"

"She was with them."

"And I trust you adhered to our agreement?"

"What other choice did I have?" Elsa stewed, her voice indignant.

Placing the map on the table, Ingrid turned her attention back to Elsa. "I promised that Anna would remain unharmed, and I've held true to my word, haven't I?"

"You should tell that to Deirdre."

"And what did she do?"

"She almost fried my sister!" Elsa cried. "My sister!"

"Ahh, Deirdre," Ingrid chuckled humourlessly. "I guess it's like they say. 'A child who was not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth'."

"And what does that mean?"

"Never mind."

"Look, my sister almost died tonight! That wasn't part of the deal!"

"Your mission," Ingrid said sharply. "Was to get the map. I tasked you to lead the League. If your subordinates defied you, that's hardly my fault now, is it? It's _your_ job as the Pilgrim's Apprentice to keep them in line."

Elsa sullenly glared at her. "So what happens now?"

"Not tonight." Ingrid sat down weakly. "I will send for the Elemental Sorcerers tomorrow. Now that I have the map, I have my own work cut out for me."

Without another word, Elsa turned to go. She was sick of everything. The League, the Pilgrim, having to keep up the facade in front of her loved ones. She returned to the indoor training area where only a couple of sorcerers remained, all spread out in the great hall. Among them were the Elemental Sorcerers, waiting by the benches for further instructions from the Pilgrim.

"So what's next?" Jade asked.

"Nothing." Elsa said. "We're done for the night. She'll call for us in the morning."

"Right then," Deirdre got up. "It's been a blast."

"Hold on," Elsa placed a hand on Deirdre's shoulder. "You and I aren't done here."

"What do you want?" Deirdre hissed, shrugging off Elsa's hand. "You got to be the Pilgrim's Apprentice. You led the League tonight. What more do you want from me?"

"You defied orders and almost killed my sister tonight." Elsa tried to keep her temper from rising.

"Haven't you heard? When you join the League, you leave your past behind. Your parents, your sister, everyone you ever cared about. They're gone." Deirdre snarled. "Maybe you didn't get the memo."

"You almost killed my sister!" Elsa raised her voice.

"Guys-" Jade looked uncomfortable, and so did Jordan.

"That's what you get when you join up with the League. No prisoners. No witnesses. But you broke our code." Deirdre retorted unflinchingly. "And for that alone, I could have you ratted out to the Pilgrim. I wonder what she'll say when she learns that her apprentice isn't following League tradition."

"I'm tired of you making things difficult. Just because you didn't become the Pilgrim's Apprentice doesn't mean you have to take it out on everyone!"

"No. Just you." Deirdre clenched her fists, which glowed red hot. "You took everything from me."

"So all this, this is just a competition to you." Elsa's hands grew cold, and snow whirled around her wrists. "And because of that, my sister was almost killed tonight!"

"Sisters are overrated. Get over it." Deirdre snorted and a fiery ball moved towards Elsa.

Elsa raised her own hand, and a cold stream of ice met the fiery ball in mid-air. Both attacks were quelled, a puddle of water forming on the ground.

"Elsa! Deirdre!"

"I've just about had enough of your attitude." Elsa strengthened her stance, her feet apart and prepared for a fight which seemed extremely likely at this point. By this time, the commotion had gathered a small crowd out of all those who were still in the training hall. Amongst them were people she knew, like Holli, Vonco and Cova among others.

"I've never done anything to you, and yet you've done nothing but antagonize me every chance you got. And now you're itching for a fight?" Elsa said.

"Maybe I am. Maybe I just hate your guts, plain and simple." Deirdre hissed, raising both hands.

Elsa dropped low as flames licked out above her, and she promptly froze the ground which Deirdre stood on. As the fiery sorceress skidded and lost her balance, Elsa got up and formed two blocks of ice around Deirdre's feet, anchoring her to the ice as she fell back first on the ground. Deirdre hit the ice heavily and growled furiously. The ice around her melted into a large puddle of water almost instantly, and Elsa could feel a massive heat wave hit her, causing perspiration to flow down her face.

Now free, the angry sorceress picked herself up from the ground, both hands poised and ready for another attack. Elsa braced herself, ready for a showdown. _Maybe it was time to see which Elemental Sorceress' magic was stronger. Fire? Or ice? _


	27. Chapter 25: Tension Part II

Chapter Twenty Five

Tension Part II

Author's note: Just a headsup, there's a slight bit of sensuality at the end of this chapter, for those who want to skip over it. Nothing too suggestive, just a little hint at romance for Elsa which I felt was long overdue.

**ELSA**

"Stop!" Jade pulled Elsa away, and a couple of other teenagers helped to separate the two angry girls. Jordan stood in front of Deirdre, and similarly, a few others including Vonco attempted to hold her back.

"Get out of my way, Jordan." Deirdre warned, trying to break free from the grip of Cornelius, Cova and a few others. "Same goes for the rest of you. I don't wanna have to hurt any of you. Except her." She jabbed wildly in Elsa's direction.

"Stop this nonsense!" Jade shouted, doing her best to restrain Elsa. "This is pointless! We shouldn't be fighting each other. And especially not after a long day in Srevnjor!"

"I didn't ask for this." Elsa relaxed a little, and the sorcerers released their hold on her. "She was the one who picked a fight."

"I think you've all had a busy day." Vonco shot cautious glances at both Elemental Sorceresses. "Maybe we should all go back to our rooms and call it a night."

"I agree." Elsa drew herself up and turned her back on everyone, and began to walk towards the stairs that led out of the training area. A burning sensation swelled at the small of her back and spread upward. A sharp pain engulfed her, and she realized that her back was on fire! Elsa spun round to see Deirdre with her hand outstretched in her direction.

"That's enough!" Jade smacked Deirdre's hand away, and Elsa was furious to see that Deirdre was smirking, having delivered a cheap shot.

Elsa quickly touched her back with her right hand, and ice extinguished the flames immediately and they went out with steam. However, a part of her dress had been burnt away, and some of the skin on her back was red and raw, painful to the touch. Her eyes widened in fury as she watched the fiery sorceress walk away in the opposite direction without another word.

"Let it go." Vonco said sympathetically.

"I'll whip something up to tend to your burns." Holli looked at Elsa's back and winced. "That's gotta hurt."

"It does." Elsa bit her lip and attempted to draw herself up, but the pain from stretching the skin on her back prevented her from doing so. Nonetheless, she walked off with a portion of her back exposed. It had been a long night, and all she wanted was to be in the privacy of her own room where she could quietly brood about the day's events.

###

A knock came at the door of Elsa's room.

"Who's there?"

"It's me." A deep mechanical voice came from outside the door.

Elsa got up from her bed and walked over to the door. She had already taken a bath, which had hurt considerably, since Deirdre had burnt the skin on her back. After the agonizing bath, she had changed into a baggy white shirt and comfy leggings, with her dress, coat and boots placed neatly on the other side of the room. She was all ready to call it a night. It had been an extremely tiring day after all. She opened the door and Janus stood outside, still in his usual garb: the black mask, hood and cloak. At least this time, he didn't carry any weapons.

"What do you want?" Elsa asked.

"I heard about what happened with Deirdre." Janus reached into his cloak and fished out a small bottle filled with a dark maroon liquid. "Holli sent me with some of her healing lotion."

"Holli sent you?" Elsa arched an eyebrow. "She couldn't have come here herself?"

Janus looked away, his facial expression hidden conveniently behind the mask. It was evident enough to her that he felt awkward. There was no real reason for him to appear at her doorstep as Holli could have done it herself. She guessed that he was just looking for an excuse to see her. Elsa glanced at the bottle and then back at Janus. She shook her head.

"Come in."

The black clad mercenary walked into the room, and Elsa shut the door behind him. Unlike the first time they had been in a room alone, she didn't feel threatened or intimidated by his presence. In fact, he was _always_ dressed the same way. She had never seen him out of costume since their first encounter in Arendelle months ago. And on the flip side, she surprisingly didn't feel uncomfortable standing in front of him in her night clothes. She remembered having felt tremendously awkward when she had first woken up in the dungeons below, but the feeling was nowhere to be found now. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that she now knew who he was.

"Are you alright?" Janus broke the silence.

"I've…been better." Elsa replied. "My back hurts."

"Here," Janus held out the bottle of lotion for her. "Holli said to spread it generously over your raw skin. The wounds should be gone by the morning."

Taking the bottle in her hand, she looked at Janus. "Why are you really here?"

"Excuse me?" She imagined Janus blinking from behind the mask.

"Why did you come here?" Elsa kept her eyes fixed on where Janus' eyes would be. "What do you really want?"

"I-" Janus hesitated. "I don't know. I just wanted to check on how you were holding up." He paused yet again, this time longer. "You've been through a lot lately, and I just feel that what's been done to you, what… this is… it's-"

"Wrong?"

"What I mean is…yes. I'm sorry all this happened to you."

"So you're not just a hardened mercenary, are you? You do have feelings."

"No, I-"

"Janus."

The mercenary looked away. "Please don't call me that."

"But that is your name, isn't it?" Elsa walked closer and stopped in front of him, looking up at the tall man. "Janus De Vesques?"

He shifted uncomfortably. "I prefer not to remember."

"Take off your mask."

"No, no- I'm sorry," There was a hint of panic in his voice. "I can't."

"Yes, you can." Elsa touched his arm gently. "It's okay. I know what happened."

"I-"

"It's okay. Take off your mask and look at me." Elsa said quietly but firmly.

Janus stared at her for what seemed like forever, and Elsa assumed that he was silently contemplating the ramifications of his actions. And finally, he slowly moved his hands towards his face, having made his decision, though he made every move with dread. Pulling back the hood, Elsa saw that he had tousled brown hair, something she had not expected at all. Then slowly, he moved his hands to the black mask that covered his face, and hesitated.

"It's okay, Janus."

He placed both hands on his mask, and slowly pulled it off, revealing a thin face with narrow brown eyes. A prominent scar ran from his forehead down to his left cheek. The unmasked mercenary's eyes fell to the ground in embarrassment, mask still in hand. For the first time, Elsa could physically see him for who he really was, unhindered by the enigmatic mask and hood. She placed a soft cold hand against the side of his left cheek, and he flinched a little at her gentle touch.

"See?" Elsa smiled reassuringly, her tone as if speaking to an embarrassed young child. "It's alright."

He looked at her with his brown eyes, still a little hesitant and uncertain, but they slowly faded away in her presence.

"See, behind that mask, you're not a cruel mercenary." She said.

"You don't understand, Elsa. I _am_ a mercenary. This _is_ my life." Without the mask which filtered his voice, it was crisp and baritone, oddly soothing to her ears.

"Then why did you choose not to fight me on the beach?"

"It was better that you engaged your own-"

"Don't hand me that. I know that's not it," Elsa cut him off. "You didn't want to hurt me. Why?"

He remained silent, unable to think of an answer. Or at least, he didn't want to admit it.

"Because you have a heart, a conscience. Even if you don't want to admit it." Elsa answered for him. "You said it yourself, you felt that what happened to me was wrong. You know that all this-" she gestured to her surroundings. "-what Ingrid is telling you to do, it's all wrong."

"I don't ask questions. I don't think." Janus spoke again. "A mercenary only does his job and gets paid at the end of the day."

"But deep down, you know you're more than just a hired killer."

"I-"

"You know this is all wrong, Janus. Please, join me." She pleaded. "Help me stop the Pilgrim. Help me liberate the rest of the League from her tyranny."

"It's too late for me." Janus said, taking a step back. "I'm sorry, Elsa. I shouldn't have come here. This…this was a mistake. I should go." He turned to leave, his mask still in hand.

"Wait," Elsa called out. "Forget about all that. Could you...help me with something?"

Janus stopped and looked back at her quizzically.

"It's going to be hard for me to see where all the lotion is going."

He tilted his head a little. "What are you saying?"

"What I'm saying is-" This time, it was Elsa's turn to hesitate just saying the words. She held out the bottle in her hand. "Could…could you help me with the lotion?"

Janus looked taken aback, his head still tilted to one side. It was so much easier to read him now that the mask no longer concealed his face. In a way, he reminded her of how she used to be. _Conceal, don't feel, don't let it show. _

"That is," she added quickly before he could say anything, her hand still outstretched. "If you're comfortable with that."

He walked toward her and took the bottle. "Of course." He said quietly. "Don't worry, I won't-"

"It's fine, I know." Elsa said as she turned with her back facing him, and began undoing the buttons on her baggy night shirt. Truth be told, she wasn't worried at all. He had proven himself as a gentleman to her many times over, and she was confident enough that he wouldn't take advantage of her. However, that did not stop her heart from racing a little as she peeled off her shirt and sat on the bed, her bare back facing Janus. _Maybe this feeling was something else. _


	28. Chapter 26: Healing Wounds

Chapter Twenty Six

Healing Wounds

Author's Note: Just a headsup, the first few paragraphs of this chapter have a few suggestive themes of sensuality, though nothing explicit. So for those who would like to skip over this portion, do feel free to do so. Thanks again for reading, and do leave a review!

**ELSA**

Janus removed his black gloves and put them on the table together with his mask. Undoing the lid of the bottle, he moved in closer to Elsa. Her heart raced as she anticipated his touch. Normally, she hated being physically touched by anyone. It made her feel uncomfortable and annoyed. However, something about Janus felt different. Somehow, she felt strangely at ease around him, but still her heart pounded in her chest. Why was she feeling this way?

Elsa shuddered a little as his fingers, smeared in the dark maroon liquid, made contact with her raw skin. But she was admittedly surprised by how gentle his touch was, and how she practically didn't feel any pain at all. Maybe it was Holli's magic, or maybe it was his gentleness. Who would have expected it from someone who was supposed to be a hardened and deadly mercenary?

"Does it hurt?" Janus asked, concern laced in his voice.

"No," Elsa said reassuringly. "You're doing fine." She sat in silence as Janus continued to work, and she was now convinced that there was a completely different side to the mercenary that no one knew about, and that he never revealed to anyone. Apparently she was the first.

"About your sister…" Janus broke the silence again.

"What about her?"

"You saw her in Quodrun and Srevnjor. Your friends as well."

"I did."

"I'm sorry. It must be hard to keep lying to them. Keeping up this…facade."

"It's _too_ hard." Elsa said. "How do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Keep up the facade. A face of stoic coldness. Enduring the brutality of it all."

"It's a lot easier when you're doing it from behind a mask. And when you've accepted the fact that you're a monster."

"You're not a monster."

"That is debatable."

"Look, I guess what I'm trying to say is," Elsa glanced over her shoulder. "I don't know what to do anymore."

"Truthfully, there's nothing else you can do except what the Pilgrim tells you."

"I know, but-" Elsa choked back a tear. "My friends. They must think I'm a monster now after everything that I've done. A cold-hearted cruel witch who turned against everyone she loved."

Janus stayed silent.

"You should have seen the look in their eyes. Maui. Melody. My sister." Elsa's shoulders trembled a little.

"I…I don't know what to say. No one's ever looked at me that way."

"I'm sorry. I just..." Elsa wiped her eyes. "My sister… she must hate me now after everything that has happened."

Janus haltingly placed his free hand on her bare shoulder tenderly. "I'm sorry."

The room fell back into silence as Janus continued spreading the lotion across her back.

"It's done." Janus finally stood up, backing away. "How do you feel?"

"Better already," Elsa put her baggy shirt back on, and when she had finished doing up the buttons, she turned round to face him. Still seated on her bed, she gave him a weak smile. "Thank you."

"I should go. I'm sorry." Janus picked up his gloves and mask and wore them quickly. Then, before she could say another word, he slipped out of the room and closed the door behind him.

Elsa crossed her legs and sighed. In some strange way, she felt that she had really connected with Janus. And it didn't make any sense. He was a mercenary! But there was something about him that she had tapped into, and he had let her in. A tender side of him that had feelings, that knew that what he was doing was wrong. But yet he had refused to give in, choosing to return to the darkness where he was comfortable in, behind the mask, weapons, and an air of enigma and intimidation.

She lay prone on the comfortable bed, closing her heavy eyelids. It had been an extremely long day full of tension and violence. Maybe she would have better luck tomorrow.

###

Rolling onto her back, Elsa subconsciously flinched heavily, sitting up with a jolt. A headache shot through her from the sudden stir from sleep, but she was too surprised to find that there was no pain on her back to even take notice of the headache. She placed her hand on the skin of her back, and felt for the raw skin. There was none. And there was no trace of pain either. Holli's magic lotion must have done its work.

Gratefully, Elsa threw off the covers and swung her feet off the bed. After a long shower and a change of clothes, she closed the door of her room behind her, and pattered down the corridor in search of Holli. It was still rather early in the morning and the sun had only just risen, still a bright golden ball that had just lit up the dark sky. It was highly unlikely that the small "witch doctor" had gone for breakfast yet. She found Holli's room and knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" A muffled, tired voice slurred from inside.

"It's me, Elsa."

"Oh, wait, just hang on a second!"

Elsa could hear scrambling and a thud, which she assumed was Holli getting out of bed - and possibly falling. The door opened, and Holli poked her head out.

"Come in, come in." Holli gestured to her.

Walking into the room, Elsa looked around. The room was untidy, with clothes strewn everywhere, and personal belongings piled up on the floor. She mused to herself that it reminded her of Anna's room back in the castle.

"How are you feeling, Your M-, I mean, Elsa?" Holli looked at her with tired eyes. Her brown hair was unkempt, falling over her face and obscuring her features. Holli really was quite similar to her sister. In a hypothetical situation, they would make best of friends, if they ever met.

"I came to thank you," Elsa said. "Your magic lotion did the trick again."

"Aww that was nothing." Holli yawned a little and stretched. "I'm glad you're okay. Give me a minute." She walked off to the bathroom and Elsa heard water running and splashing. The young girl returned to the main room, looking refreshed and a lot more awake than she did previously. Her hair was still a mess, though it seemed she couldn't care less. "Sit down, Elsa. I'll just change and get my things, and we can go for breakfast."

"Actually, I wanted to ask," Elsa was slightly astonished that she was asking this, but it was a bit late to turn back now. "Is Deirdre alright? After our brief scuffle yesterday, I mean."

"Wow." Holli arched an eyebrow. "In spite of what she did to you, you actually bother if she's alright?"

"I guess." Elsa looked down. "I feel kind of responsible. A little. Don't get me wrong, I'm still mad at what she did, but I can't help but feel that it could've been avoided."

"Don't know if this helps, but maybe you should just drop it." Holli frowned. "Deirdre's a tough nut to crack. But she's been through a lot herself, so you can't really blame her."

"I'm just trying to understand," Elsa removed a couple of piled up clothes from one of the chairs and sat down, holding them in her lap. "I know about the whole Pilgrim's Apprentice thing, but I can't help but feel that there's a deeper reason as to why she's…like this."

Holli pulled out another chair and sat facing Elsa, the back of the chair in front of her and leaning against it.

"I know everyone says that Deirdre's past is a touchy subject and all, but…I just want to understand. And then maybe I can reach out to her." Elsa said, feeling a little embarrassed. "I know it's silly, but-"

"It's noble." Holli nodded her head in understanding. "I know Deirdre wouldn't want anyone talking about it, but I think this is the best chance you have of reaching out to her. And maybe fixing things too."

Elsa leaned forward.

Holli cleared her throat and exhaled. "Alright then, here goes. Deirdre was the first born child of the Tal Yin family."

"Wait, the Tal Yins?" Elsa blinked. "Like, the royal family of Exon?"

"Yeah," Holli said. "She was the Crown Princess of Exon."


	29. Chapter 27: The Crown Princess of Exon

Chapter Twenty Seven

The Crown Princess of Exon

Author's Note: As I write and upload this chapter, do note that a sequel titled "The Empire of Exon" is in the works, and it's shaping up to be the biggest challenge yet. Bigger, better and more explosive in every way. But for now, do try and remember a little bit about the backstory of Deirdre. It's going to play a huge part in the next novel!

**ELSA**

Elsa could hardly believe her ears. _Deirdre was the Crown Princess of Exon? Wait… _"Was?"

"The Kingdom of Exon had a very radical stand against magic." Holli explained. "It was something that had been passed down for generations. They viewed sorcery and special abilities as a curse and something to be shunned. But Deirdre wasn't born with her powers. She led a relatively normal life of a princess, loved by her parents and having a common rivalry with her sister. When she was eleven, she was kidnapped by a cult of dark wizards who knew exactly who she was. They demanded an exorbitant sum from the King and Queen to have their heir returned safely.

"What Deirdre's parents did not know was that even after they had agreed to pay the ransom, the wizards cursed Deirdre with elemental powers out of spite. The young Princess knew that she could never reveal her powers to anyone, including her parents, for fear of being cast out. She isolated herself from the world, keeping to her library and room in the castle for most of her days to prevent herself from getting into any accidents."

Elsa nodded grimly. This part she could relate to. After all, she had lived most of her life trying to hide her magic from the world. But at least she had her parents to support her while they were alive, which is where she and Deirdre differed. _That must have been extremely hard on her. _

"So," Holli continued. "For the next six years, she hid her secret out of shame and fear, but on her seventeenth birthday, her younger sister discovered that Deirdre had powers, and exposed her to their parents. That was when Deirdre's life began to really spiral out of control.

"Shocked, the King and Queen decided to deny Deirdre the right to the throne. Out of fear of sorcery, they quietly arranged for their own daughter to be drugged and taken far away from Exon to be institutionalized in a foreign country. Her secret was kept from the public, and it became common knowledge that the Crown Princess had passed away and her sister was the new heir apparent. Meanwhile, far away from Exon, Deirdre was kept as a lab rat for various experiments on enhanced humans. That was where she lost all hope.

"Two years later, the Pilgrim and Prometheus infiltrated the institution and freed Deirdre from her prison. She burnt down the entire laboratory and escaped together with her liberators. The Pilgrim extended an invitation for her to join the League as the first member of the Elemental Sorcerers. Deirdre, having nowhere else to go and refusing to return to Exon out of hurt, gratefully accepted the offer and abandoned her past identity as the Crown Princess of Exon. Embracing her new mantle as the First Elemental Sorcerer, she became a ruthless sorceress and the Pilgrim's favourite, hence the reason why she was chosen to be trained as the Pilgrim's Apprentice."

"That…that's horrible." Elsa had her hands clasped over her mouth, eyes watering as she listened to the increasingly tragic story. But it wasn't just a story. It was Deirdre's life. First it had been Janus she had learnt about, and now Deirdre too.

"Yeah, but it gets worse." Holli continued. "Things were going great for Deirdre, having finally found her place beside the Pilgrim in the League of Sorcerers. But that all changed when the Pilgrim set her sights on you. Deirdre was cast aside and forgotten, just like she had been by her own parents. That must have triggered something in her, seeing you as how she saw her sister: someone to replace her yet again. And that's probably why she hates you so much."

"I-" Elsa paused to swallow the lump in her throat. "I didn't know."

"That's not your fault. No one really knew. Except me and a few others of course." Holli said sympathetically.

"I'm so sorry." Elsa said softly. "I never knew that there were others like me, with far more painful pasts. I thought I had it bad, until I met all of you. I'm sorry, what happened to so many of you… it's just wrong."

"And that's why you're the best person to make it up to Deirdre." Holli got up. "Even though she hates you and all, but you have the best chance of reaching out to her since in some weird way she sees you as a parallel to her sister."

"I will." Elsa stood up, placing the clothes back on the chair. "You go on ahead for breakfast. I'm going to go see if Deirdre is still in her room and try to talk to her."

It took all the mustering of Elsa's courage to walk over to Deirdre's room, and even then she hesitated as she brought her hand up to knock on the door. She pulled back for an instant. Deirdre was going to be furious to see her archenemy outside her door first thing in the morning. _But it had to be done_, Elsa thought as she pursed her lips. She had to at least try to make things right between Deirdre and herself. If she could try to make Deirdre see that she was not her rival or enemy, then maybe the fiery sorceress would take one step towards healing her deep seated emotional wounds. Even though Deirdre had almost killed Anna, which made Elsa exceedingly angry, this was still something she had to do now that she knew about the tormented sorceress' past.

Taking a deep breath, she knocked steadily on the door of Deirdre's room.

"What?" Deirdre grunted from inside her room.

"I just came to talk." Elsa said.

Silence. Then the door opened, and a sour face peeped out. A look of surprise was there and gone in an instant.

"What do you want?" Deirdre growled.

"Like I said, I just came to talk."

Deirdre sized her up and down disdainfully, and went back into her room, the door left open. Elsa cautiously stepped into the room and instantly could smell something burnt, and saw that the walls of the room were charred. She guessed that the fiery sorceress had taken to venting her anger on the walls quite often, as almost every inch of the walls was covered in black soot and flaking off.

She turned her attention back to Deirdre who was leaning against a chair, staring at her suspiciously. Taking a deep breath, she decided that it was now or never. "I ummn…" Elsa began. "Came to ask you if you were hurt last night. During…you know-"

"No," Deirdre crossed her arms. "I wasn't. Is that all you came to say?"

"Actually no. I came to apologize." Elsa said.

"Apologize?" Deirdre narrowed her eyes.

"I know you threatened my sister back in Srevnjor, and I was angry. But I guess I shouldn't have confronted you in front of everyone else. It's been a tough couple of days and I lost my temper last night." Elsa admitted. "So on my part, that was on me. I'm sorry, Deirdre."

The fiery sorceress arched her eyebrows. "Huh. I hope you're not expecting an apology."

"Not really, no."

Deirdre scoffed humourlessly. "Then that's all?"

"I know about Exon. The wizards' curse." Elsa continued. "I'm sorry."

"What?" Deirdre's eyes widened. "Who-who told you that?"

"It doesn't matter who-"

"Was it Holli?"

Elsa nodded slowly. "But it's not her fault."

"That tiny pipsqueak can't stop running her mouth." Deirdre growled. "I'll show her…"

"Deirdre!" Elsa said loudly to get her attention again. "It wasn't her fault. She just wanted to help you. And so she told me."

"And why would she tell _you_ of all people?"

"Because she knows that you feel like I took your place." The second part Elsa said more quietly. "Just like how your sister took your place and left you with nothing."

"You're not supposed to know that. No one's supposed to." Deirdre dropped her eyes in embarrassment.

"Look, it doesn't matter. I know now." Elsa said firmly. "And I just want to say, I'm sorry. What happened to you was just horrible, and I never wanted to be the Pilgrim's Apprentice. That's on her. I'm a prisoner here, just like everyone else."

"Not all of us are prisoners here." Deirdre replied, her tone a lot less hostile than before. "For some of us, the League is all we know. It's our home." Elsa knew that Deirdre had most likely been brainwashed along with most of the others, like Jade and the rest of her friends, but maybe…just maybe there was a chance to free all of them. _Maybe. _

"I can't pretend to know what your life must have been like before we met." Elsa admitted. "But I'm just offering you my apologies…and another chance at friendship. We don't have to be enemies, you know."

"But…" Deirdre glanced at her but avoided eye contact. "I tried to kill your sister."

"I admit, I'm having trouble looking past that, but I'm trying." Elsa stretched out her hand. "But if I'm trying, then maybe you can try too. I'm not your enemy."

Deirdre paused, looking at her hand and back at Elsa. Reluctantly, she reached out and shook Elsa's hand. "I guess I'm sorry too about last night. It's just that I hate sisters." She mumbled under her breath.

"After what yours did to you. I know." Elsa said sympathetically. "That's horrible. But my sister isn't evil, cunning or cruel. In truth, she's better than all of us put together."

"She does sound nice." Deirdre muttered. She sounded a lot less sullen, which was a good sign. "I'm sorry about how I treated you, especially last night. Wasn't fair."

"All's forgiven," Elsa gave her a small smile.

Deirdre's lips crept upward slightly in what appeared to be a tiny grin, and Elsa's spirits lifted a little. _Maybe things were starting to look up. _


	30. Chapter 28: Last Hope

Chapter Twenty Eight

Last Hope

**ANNA**

The thawing process had been an extremely slow one. After all, Elsa was now unhinged, and had trapped Maui in a block of ice that had taken ages to melt. Thankfully, the museum was closed for the night and there had not been anyone else, otherwise things would have gotten messy. Anna had first regrouped with Kristoff before finding Maui frozen solid. They had tried chipping away at the ice, only to find that it was impossible to break Maui out of it. The only thing they could do was turn up the heat in the museum and wait.

Eventually, the ice melted enough for Maui to bust his way out, and he did it with flair. With a deafening roar, he had broken the ice that had encapsulated him, freeing himself from the icy chamber that Elsa had imprisoned him in. And boy, was he mad. It had taken quite some effort for Anna to calm the furious demigod down before she could get him to fly them back to Arendelle.

The journey back was an arduous and tiring one, as it had begun raining mid flight. Drenched, Maui had soldiered on, carrying Anna and Kristoff all the way back to Arendelle. The trip had taken them a considerably longer time than it took to get to Srevnjor, partially because the weather wasn't in their favour, and also because Maui was exhausted. Nonetheless, they had made it to the castle in the wee hours of the morning, and they stumbled gratefully into the drawing room, collapsing in a heap in front of the confused Captain Frederick.

And now, morning had come, though it was a gloomy one. Both the skies were dull and dark, and so were the Warriors' spirits. Melody and Tracy had not yet returned, and Anna had feared the worst. Being the optimist, this was new to her, but it was starting to catch on, unfortunately. The entire experience with the League and her sister going dark had taken a toll on her, and the Warriors had noticed, especially Kristoff. Anna shook her head as she splashed her face with water, scrutinising the slight bruise on her left cheek Elsa had put there.

Anna sighed and leaned against the wall of the toilet. This was a new low point. Back then, she had thought that being struck in the heart by ice was the worst that could happen to her, causing her to turn to ice. Being hit by her sister intentionally hadn't hurt an awful lot, but it was far worse because it left not just a physical scar, but a huge emotional scar. Elsa was too far gone now, and there was nothing else Anna could do to save her sister.

Walking out of the toilet, Anna dragged herself down the hallway and back to the drawing room to find both Maui and Kristoff already up. Kristoff sat on the long sofa in silence while Maui did the same at the other side of the room, staring out the large window at the dull grey morning skies. Normally, she would have been the last to wake up, but given the circumstances she found that she had trouble sleeping, and in spite of being exhausted, the thought of having fully lost Elsa to the League had kept her awake.

"How are you feeling?" Anna asked, and Kristoff glanced up at her presence.

"Terrible." Kristoff glanced at her. "You?"

"Same." Anna plonked herself down beside him.

"Come here," Kristoff opened his arms and Anna snuggled up to him. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be silly. What happened in Srevnjor wasn't your fault." Anna looked up at him, her head on his chest.

"I could have gotten away with the map, but-"

"It's not your fault. It was the League." Anna glanced away. "It was Elsa."

"I'm sorry, Anna." Kristoff said. "I wished we could have saved her."

"Me too." She shifted her position slightly. "At first I was confused why my sister was suddenly working with the League. But then after learning about my father's…crime, I thought I understood why Elsa had seemingly turned evil. My father was blackmailed into joining the League, and I thought that maybe Elsa was too. I thought that she was protecting me from the truth about our father."

"But she wasn't?"

Anna nodded morosely. "I thought that was my trump card. Confronting her in Srevnjor, getting her to see that I knew the truth. Turning the tables against the League of Sorcerers. But it didn't work. Elsa told me coldly that it changed nothing before she hit me and left with the Elemental Sorcerers. It was like…" Anna swallowed hard and choked back a tear. "…she was devoid of humanity."

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah. And now I'm fresh out of hope." She glanced at Kristoff. "I mean, what are we gonna do now? The League has Will Daltrey, the map, and Elsa's positively evil now. We've tried fighting them. Twice. And we lost badly both times."

"Not to mention Melody and Tracy are gone to who knows where." Kristoff added, though it really wasn't helping things. "Getting that amulet thing was our best shot at stopping the Pilgrim, and only Tracy knows how to wield it. And neither of them are here."

"Exactly. What do we do now?"

"Honestly, I don't know." Kristoff grimaced.

"Huh." Anna pursed her lips and looked over at the other side of the room at Maui. "Any ideas, Maui?"

The demigod had definitely heard her, but he remained uncharacteristically quiet, continuing to stare out the window.

"Maui?" Anna got up off the sofa, leaving Kristoff slumped miserably in it, and crossed the drawing room. "Hey. Are you okay?"

"No, not really." Maui looked straight ahead as Anna approached him.

"Welcome to the club," she muttered under her breath. "But no, seriously. What's going on with you? I know we all have a lot on our plate right now, but we're all in this together, right? Spit it out bud."

"It's funny," Maui began. "You know, the only reason I came back to the human world from Pride Rock was because I wanted to help save Elsa. I wouldn't have come back here otherwise. There was too much guilt. But I did it anyway, because I thought Elsa needed our help. My help." He glanced at Anna. "When I saw her in Quodrun, I didn't want to believe it. But then you found a lead in the journals and I thought that maybe Elsa was still good. But now, after Srevnjor, I think we can all agree that Elsa…is beyond saving."

Anna honestly couldn't find the words to reply, as downcast and crushed as the demigod was.

He turned from the window and faced her. "Now that we know the truth, that Elsa has fallen to the opposite side, there's no more reason for me to stay. I only returned to the human world on account of my friendship with Elsa, but now…I think it's time for me to go."

"No, wait. Please." Anna pleaded with him. "Don't go. We need you."

"What for? Elsa's no longer on our side and half the Warriors are missing in the middle of the ocean. The mission is over. We failed."

"Look," Kristoff said, walking over from the sofa. He had obviously heard every word of the conversation. "Going back into exile isn't going to solve anything."

"I shouldn't be around humans. Not anymore."

"No Maui, that's not the answer." Anna argued. "You think going back to a bunch of lions and living as a wild beast is going to take away all your guilt and problems? It isn't. This is where you can make a difference and make up for your mistakes. By being here with the Warriors."

"Half the Warriors are gone."

"But we're still here." Kristoff said. "And we're going to think of something."

"Like what?"

"We thought you might have an idea." Anna said.

"Do I look like the idea guy?"

"No, that was always Melody." Anna admitted.

"But she's not here. And neither is Tracy." Maui said pessimistically. _This mission has really been taking a toll on everyone, _Anna thought to herself.

Right then and there, as if they had been waiting for the perfect entrance line, a Crossing Point opened and seawater spilled out onto the expensive carpet on the floor of the drawing room. Melody and Tracy stepped out, soaked to the bone.


	31. Chapter 29: The Trump Card

Chapter Twenty Nine

The Trump Card

**ANNA**

"Sorry." Tracy stomped her shoes, which squelched and squeezed even more seawater onto the floor. "We got back here as fast as we could."

"Sorry about the carpet too." Melody glanced apologetically at Anna, and glared at Tracy. "Stop that."

"It's fine, I'll just get the staff to clean up the place later." Anna looked at the two girls. "Boy, are you two a sight for sore eyes."

"Huh?" Tracy looked confused.

"Did you find the amulet?" Kristoff asked.

"Yeah." Melody pulled out the bronze item. "The _Qa'nneth_ was stolen by a corrupt wealthy merchant who monopolized a nearby trading post."

"You conveniently left out the part where you went to steal it from him, got caught and thrown in prison, and I had to stage a mini revolution to save you and retrieve the _Qa'nneth_." Tracy added and received a scowl from Melody. "What? It's true."

"Regardless," Melody had turned red with embarrassment. "We found the _Qa'nneth_." She passed it to Anna.

"Wow." Anna glanced at the two incredulously, intrigued by their story. No wonder they had taken so long, even with Tracy's magic teleportation abilities. She glanced down at the _Qa'nneth_ in her hands. The main piece was a thin circular slab of bronze with a flat red garnet in the middle, supported by another thin strip of bronze. It had a short handle that was also made out of bronze…in fact the whole thing was made out of bronze except for the jewel.

"So this is supposed to stop the Pilgrim, huh?" Anna tested its weight in her hand.

"In theory, yes." Melody said.

"So how exactly does this work?"

"Ahh, step aside. Allow me." Tracy said in an exaggerated tone of elegance and sophistication, taking the _Qa'nneth_ out of Anna's hands.

"Your Highness."

The Warriors turned to see Captain Frederick at the door.

"Fred? What is it?" Anna walked over to him. There was somewhat of a sense of urgency in his tone when he had called out to her.

"After you left your coat with the cleaners last night, they went through your coat and found this," Frederick produced a folded piece of paper. "They informed me about it and I had the feeling that this is something important."

Anna frowned. "I don't remember carrying any paper with me when I left for Srevnjor yesterday. What is it?"

"That's for you to know, Your Highness." Frederick was as honourable as ever, and Anna couldn't help but immensely appreciate his presence.

"Thanks." She took the paper from Frederick and unfolded it. Her eyes widened as she scanned the contents, walking over slowly to the couch to sit down, as the rest of the Warriors watched her quizzically. "Woah…" she blinked a couple of times and read it again.

"What is it?" Kristoff and Melody asked at the same time.

"A letter," Anna kept her eyes glued to the paper. "From Elsa."

"What?"

Anna looked up at them suddenly, waving the paper in front of them excitedly. "I think I found a way to take down the League. Well, not really. She told me where she is but she isn't expecting that I would show up, but that's exactly what we're going to do, and-"

"What are you saying?" Maui asked, vocalizing the thoughts of everyone in the drawing room.

"Elsa," Anna jabbed at the paper wildly. "She was never on their side! I was half right all along! Look!" She held out the letter for everyone to see, and they all gathered round.

"She managed to explain what happened the night she disappeared." Anna said triumphantly. "I knew it wasn't true. Elsa never turned on us. She appeared to be on the side of the League, but she's always been on ours, even though it didn't seem like it."

"Anna, I don't know." Kristoff scratched his nose. "I want to believe it, but-"

"We saw Elsa for our own eyes." Maui said. "Her allegiance to the League of Sorcerers seemed so real."

"Don't you see, that was exactly the point!" Anna cried eagerly. "She had to keep up the facade as part of the deal, to keep me out of their crosshairs! Remember my father's journal? The Pilgrim made my father the same bargain. Become part of the League and she would steer clear of Elsa and myself. Only, she didn't keep that promise. She came after Elsa, and made her the same offer. She would leave me alone if Elsa did her bidding and kept things quiet."

She paused and stared round at the faces which had expressions ranging from hope to skepticism. "And she wasn't bluffing. The Pilgrim had spies planted in Arendelle, ready to assassinate me at her order. Right, Fred?"

"Indeed." Frederick stood with his hands clasped at the small of his back by the door. "I went and did some digging, and I have a list of all the confirmed traitors in our midst. Tobias was the chief amongst them of course, and then there's others like Count Griffith and even Colonel Jakob himself. We're going to have to take action after this League business is dealt with."

"We will." Anna nodded gratefully. "Thanks, Fred."

"Of course, Your Highness." He bowed and walked away. "I'll be outside if you need me."

"Thanks." Anna called after him.

"Wait, wait, back up." Melody frowned. "So Elsa was blackmailed into joining the League, otherwise the Pilgrim would have you assassinated?"

"Yeah. That and the fact that Elsa wanted to protect me from the truth about our father, which I discovered anyway." Anna confirmed. "Elsa was never on their side. She was doing it all to keep me out of their crosshairs."

"And what about that bruise?" Tracy asked, pointing to the purple mark on Anna's left cheek.

"She had to keep up appearances, I guess." And then it hit her - no pun intended - Elsa had grabbed her coat and held her up before landing the blow. That must have been when Elsa slipped the letter into Anna's coat pocket without the Elemental Sorcerers noticing!_ Elsa, you genius! _

"In the letter, she warned me to stay away now that I know the truth. She wrote this so that I could have peace of mind and go on living my life without her. But we know that's not gonna happen." Anna looked round. "We're getting Elsa back. We have a real chance now. She's still one of us."

"I hope you're right, Anna. I really hope so." Kristoff still sounded a little skeptical.

"I hope it's true." Maui added. "Elsa was my friend and she helped save me. I want to do the same for her now."

"She was our friend too." Melody said. "She gave us hope when we were trapped on that island after Major Kane banished us to the other side of the world.

"Yeah, you're right." Tracy piped up. "Elsa reached out to me when I first joined up with you guys. After the Dark Zone, she helped me to realise I wasn't the only troubled sorceress on board that ship, and it somehow made me feel better about myself."

"It's time we remembered who she really is and what she's done for us." Melody looked round.

Kristoff nodded somewhat reluctantly, but in agreement. "I guess so. We should have seen through her act and known she was still on our side."

"No one could have known. None of us could have seen this coming." Anna said. "What matters now is that we go rescue Elsa from the Pilgrim and the League of Sorcerers."

"And for that, we need the _Qa'nneth_." Tracy raised the amulet in her hand.

"So how does this thing work?" Kristoff glanced at the amulet warily.

"According to the journal, it's supposed to stop the Pilgrim from using her black magic, right?" Anna said, trying her best to sound helpful.

"Something like that." Tracy whacked the amulet against her hand. "But to use it, you gotta recite a string of spells that'll get it activated. You gotta say the words before the _Qa'nneth_ will work for you."

"But you mentioned that you're a _Ha'naeth_ too." Maui said. "Won't that affect your powers in the presence of the _Qa'nneth_?"

Tracy nodded.

"But you already knew that, didn't you?" Kristoff said.

"Yeah I did."

"Wait, so in taking out the Pilgrim's black magic, we're forfeiting your help?" Anna asked.

"I guess that's the tradeoff." Tracy shrugged.

"Even without the Pilgrim's black magic to worry about, we're still walking into a stronghold full of sorcerers ready to defend their leader." Anna said. "Swynvort, it's called, according to Elsa's letter."

"Not to mention the Elemental Sorcerers. They're wayyy too powerful." Tracy said with a slight hint of jealousy.

"And Prometheus, along with the League mercenaries." Kristoff added.

"Okay, so let's lay out our cards on the table." Melody said. "Now that we know the _Qa'nneth_ will protect you from the Pilgrim's magic," she glanced at Anna. "Showing up in Swynvort will attract the Pilgrim's attention. That's when she'll know that Elsa betrayed her and she'll turn her powers against Anna, only to find that they aren't working."

"That's when Elsa will know that the deal's off, and join us against the League." Anna continued excitedly.

"But even with Elsa back on our side, we'll have the entire League of Sorcerers against us, including the Elemental Sorcerers, Prometheus as well as his mercenaries." Kristoff argued realistically. "We're still going to be vastly outmatched."

"I hate to say it, but he's right." Maui said grimly. "We don't have a good strategy, and that means we'll just be repeating the same mistake."

"You know what, I think I have the beginning of an idea." Melody turned to Tracy.

"Why look at me?"

"You and the Pilgrim, you're both _Ha'naeth_, right?"

"Yeah?"

"Which means you both have similar powers and can do the same things right?"

"She's way more skilled than I am, remember? Roughly a century more experience at mastering black magic than I have."

"It doesn't matter." Melody said. "You're familiar with the whole psychic thing too, right?"

"Somewhat I guess?" Tracy replied uncertainly. "Why?"

"Wait, what exactly are we talking about here?" Anna asked, confused as to what was going on.

"I just need to get the facts right," Melody answered, and turned back to Tracy. "Because if I'm right and this works, you're gonna be our trump card."


	32. Chapter 30: Blood of the Elementals

Chapter Thirty

Blood of the Elementals

**ELSA**

Breakfast was a good time, for once. Having patched things up with Deirdre, the two had headed to the common hall where most of the sorcerers were eating. Many were surprised to see Elsa and Deirdre walk in together, as almost everyone knew about the unspoken rivalry between the two.

"Blaze? Frost? Did something happen I didn't know about?" Jade rubbed her eyes dramatically in disbelief.

"You could say that," Elsa said.

"You two patched things up?" Vonco asked.

Elsa nodded. "We did."

"How? Why the sudden change of heart?"

"None of your business, Vonco." Deirdre glanced at him, and he gave her a grin.

"See, I knew it!" Holli squeaked. "Elsa! I told you right? You could make things right with her."

"I'm still standing here, Holli." Deirdre scowled at the small girl. "I still owe you for squealing on me."

Holli looked away guiltily.

"It doesn't matter, Blaze." Jade said, taking a bite of her toast. "What matters is that you two are finally friends."

"Friends might be pushing it a little," Deirdre glanced at Elsa.

"One step at a time." Elsa assured her.

"Sit down," Jade gestured to the two, and Jordan helped to pull out a chair for Elsa. "I think we've got another assignment coming later."

"What does the Pilgrim want us to do now?" Deirdre heated up her egg in her palm.

"Don't know." Jade mumbled with her mouth full.

"Probably something to do with the map we stole last night." Elsa buttered up her toast.

"Probably."

After breakfast, Elsa snuck out of the common hall while the rest were still talking and eating. She made sure the hallways were clear before heading down the stairs towards the dungeons. Janus was nowhere to be found that morning, and she had hoped she could have a chance to talk to him about their time together the night before.

They had shared a vulnerable moment together, and Elsa felt that she had managed to reach out to the mercenary who had always closed himself off from emotions. She couldn't help but think that with a little more coaxing, she could win Janus over to her side. But first, she was going to start with Will. And that meant he had to learn how to control his powers.

Reaching the dungeons, Elsa pattered down the corridor as quietly as she could for fear of bumping into someone, and stopped outside the room that Will Daltrey was being kept in.

"Will." She hissed, standing on tiptoes to see through the steel bars of the door. "It's me, Elsa."

"Elsa?" The teenager walked towards the door. "Are-are you going to free me?"

"I wish I could." Elsa said sympathetically. "But no, I'm here to ask for your help."

"My help?" Will sounded confused. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm the one stuck behind bars."

"You have elemental powers. Like me." Elsa explained. "But you don't know how to use them, right?"

"I can't control them. They manifest themselves at the worst of times."

"When you're scared, angry, or upset right?" Elsa had gone through the exact same problem, and this time she knew exactly how to deal with it. Maybe this was her purpose: to help others learn how to control their magic. "Think, Will. When you were overcome with emotions in any given circumstance, your powers flared up and got out of hand."

"That…" Will thought for a moment. "That's-how did you know?"

"Because I went through the same thing you did. That's how I ended up freezing my entire kingdom." Elsa said. "Don't worry, I'm going to help you learn how to control it."

"Why would you help me?"

"Because like I said, I need your help."

"My help? How? I'm stuck here." Will held up his hands, which still had the bracelets on them.

"I'll…figure something out." Elsa assured him.

"I'm sure you will." Ingrid's rough drawling voice came from down the corridor.

Elsa spun round with reflexes like that of a cat, and saw that Ingrid was standing in the passageway, accompanied by Janus, who was masked and cloaked as usual but this time armed with his weapons, and two of the Knights of Vengeance.

"I'm disappointed, Elsa." Ingrid shook her head. "I thought we were making progress here. But it looks like you're still determined to return to your old life. I thought you were settling into your new role as the Pilgrim's Apprentice. This…is disappointing."

Elsa set her jaw. "I'll never stop trying to get away from you."

"That may prove difficult soon." Ingrid smirked ominously.

"What does that mean?"

"You'll see." Ingrid gestured for Janus and the Knights to move forward.

Elsa stepped away from the door as Janus produced the keys from within his cloak and unlocked the steel door. It swung open heavily, and the two Knights entered in quickly, taking Will between them. They dragged the protesting and struggling teenager out and down the corridor towards the stairwell that led out of the dungeons.

"Where are you taking him?" Elsa demanded indignantly.

"Oh don't worry," Ingrid said darkly. "You're coming too."

Janus took her arm and guided her down the corridor past Ingrid. Elsa freed her arm from his grip and looked at him. "Please, Janus. Help me."

"I'm sorry, Elsa." His voice was once again cold and mechanical, hidden behind the black mask. "Walk." He gave her a light push and she continued moving, up the stairs and towards the Throne Room.

When they arrived, Elsa found that the other three Elemental Sorcerers, and Will with his hands uncuffed, were already in the Throne Room. There were many Knights that lined the walls of the room, almost as though they were preparing for a battle or war of some sort. Usually, when Ingrid held a meeting or had a mission or something for the sorcerers, the knights would usually leave the room, but this time they stayed. This meeting felt different. Elsa knew it.

"What's this?" She asked Janus as she was ushered into the middle of the room together with the rest of the Elemental Sorcerers.

"She found him." He answered cryptically.

"The Eternal King?"

Janus stayed quiet, and Elsa could almost sense his uneasiness. Or maybe it was conflict.

"Welcome, all." Ingrid strolled into the room, trailing a long black cloak behind her. "I'm sure you all must be thinking: what new assignment I have in store for you." She glanced round at the Elemental Sorcerers standing in the middle of the room. "This one might be the most important one yet."

"What's so important that you have to gather your entire army of mercenaries for this meeting?" Elsa probed. She counted at least thirty knights standing guard.

"Ah," Ingrid drawled. "Because I want all to bear witness. A new age is dawning."

"What new age?"

"The Pilgrim is going to be reborn. _I _am going to be reborn." Ingrid cackled victoriously. "I finally found the secret to unlocking the prison of the Eternal King. I shall free him from his chains and and have him grant me the power to live forever, just like him. I will learn how he conquered Ancient Hyutreno and kept it under his thumb for centuries. The secret of immortality and absolute power will be mine, and mine alone, and I will rule the League of Sorcerers for the next millennium." She finished triumphantly.

"You know you're monologuing right?" Elsa said sardonically. "A typical villain move? Couldn't you at least be a little more original?"

"Sticks and stones." Ingrid smiled smugly. "Not that it's going to help you now. After I find the Eternal King, no one will ever dethrone me. There will never be another Pilgrim."

"You're insane." Elsa narrowed her eyes.

"No," Ingrid coughed and struggled a little for breath after the exciting speech she had just delivered. She reached for a large container of Augbine Herbs and took a conservative sip from it. "I'm a woman of ambition. And I will _not_ be denied. Prometheus!"

"Yes, my Mistress." Janus stepped forward.

"Your blade."

Janus unsheathed his katana from the scabbard, holding the gleaming weapon in his hand at waist level. He seemed more hesitant than usual.

"Now," Ingrid held out a beaker to one of the Knights who hastily came forward to receive it from her. "Bring me the blood of the Elemental Sorcerers."

Author's Commentary:

Thirty Chapters in, we've been building up to this point. Now it's time to see what's the witch's endgame. Leave a review if you've enjoyed it! I'll greatly appreciate it :)


	33. Chapter 31: Unthinkable

Chapter Thirty One

Unthinkable

**ELSA**

"Yes, my Mistress." Janus beckoned for the struggling Will Daltrey to be brought forward.

"Ingrid! What are you doing?" Elsa panicked. _Even for Ingrid, this crossed the line of unthinkable!_

"I've been looking for the Eternal King for years now, and I've learnt many things. The map's diagrams and instructions are invisible to the eye. The ones who hid the Eternal King in the prison beneath the tunnelled remains of Ancient Hyutreno designed the map to be so. Only those committed to finding the Eternal King would have to provide a worthy sacrifice in order to unlock the map's secrets. Not anyone who finds the map can gain access. A sacrifice of immense worth must be produced and sprinkled on the map. In this case, a holy offering of blood to show commitment. Worthiness." Ingrid explained. "And that is why I assembled the five of you."

"You didn't just need our strength or our powers." Elsa was stunned at the newfound revelation. Ingrid's plans ran much deeper than she had thought. "You needed our blood as a sacrifice."

"Don't worry, I just need a drop from each of you to make this work." Ingrid grinned darkly, and Elsa felt shivers run down her spine.

Janus finished drawing blood from Will, Jordan, Jade and Deirdre, and turned to Elsa, blade in hand. Two of the Knights held her steadily, and one rolled up her sleeve to expose her right forearm.

"Janus," she looked at him with pleading eyes. "Don't let her do this. Don't let her dictate your life. We can beat this."

"_Do it._" Ingrid said sharply.

The mercenary raised his blade haltingly. He looked at Elsa through his mask, and she was sure that he had a look of uncertainty on his face, though he said nothing.

"What are you waiting for?!" Ingrid snapped.

"My Mistress," Janus turned to the Pilgrim. "I-"

"Don't make me replace you now." Ingrid snarled dangerously, a wild look in her eyes. She pointed a hand at him, and dark red sparkles of energy jumped between her fingertips. "If you won't do it, I'll have one of the Knights take your place. Don't you dare fail me again, you insufferable rat, or I'll put you out of your misery right here and now."

Janus turned back to Elsa, and she imagined an apologetic look on his thin face and remorse in his narrow eyes as he said the words: "I'm sorry." He motioned for the Knight holding the beaker to position it beneath her arm, and pressed the blade as gently against her skin as he possibly could.

Elsa winced a little as a small incision was made on her skin, and blood seeped out, dropping into the beaker containing the mixed blood from all the Elemental Sorcerers.

"It is done." Janus reluctantly took the beaker and handed it to Ingrid.

"Finally." Cautiously, Ingrid set it down on a nearby table which had a couple more vials and beakers of liquid on it. She unrolled the thin parchment scroll and laid the map face up on the table, pinning it beneath two beakers. Then, she placed the beaker containing the blood of the Elemental Sorcerers in the middle. The large container filled with lime green liquid - Augbine Herbs - stood at the corner of the table. She sparingly poured a drop of the Augbine Herbs into the blood, watching the colour slowly turn brown.

"My last reserve of Augbine Herbs." Ingrid muttered. "Not that I will need it anymore after today."

"What are you doing?"

Ingrid ignored Elsa and set the container aside, raising both hands which trembled considerably. "_Ha-sheth, min irenkov, zequev gavolth temenpaz_." Ingrid chanted, and mist swept around her and the table, mixed with red dust particles of black magic. The mist gathered into a cloud above Ingrid's head as she continued the incantation. "_Yekov quoten, yevnath dremonsul astempveth fulhan_!" Then, the moment she finished the spell, she dragged the cloud of black magic down into the beaker of blood, and there was a loud _poof_. And then, silence.

"It is done." Ingrid clasped her hands together delightedly, with a wicked grin on her face. She held the beaker of blood up cautiously, and poured it sparingly over the parchment till it covered it entirely and the whole mixture of liquid had been drained from the beaker.

Elsa thought that the map would have disintegrated the moment the liquid touched the thin piece of ancient paper that looked like it could have crumbled the moment someone moved it, but instead, the parchment remained completely dry though it had absorbed every drop of the magical mixture. From behind Ingrid, she could see faint brown lines starting to form on the map, appearing gradually as if an invisible pencil was writing and drawing on the parchment at that very instant.

"Yes…" Ingrid whispered in ecstasy with fists clenched. "It's working!"

The diagrams and words finished revealing themselves, and Ingrid pored over the map, her green eyes darting back and forth, studying it with intensity.

"I found you." She wheezed and lifted up the map triumphantly. "And I'm coming to free you."

"Ingrid, don't do this!" Elsa said desperately.

"I've come too far to be stopped now," Ingrid glanced at Elsa disdainfully. "But I'll humour you. Why not?"

"Think about it. What happens if you do find the Eternal King, you free him, what then?"

"He grants me the secret to immortality. I return as a goddess."

"And what if you're wrong?"

Ingrid arched her eyebrows.

"What if it doesn't go your way? What if the Eternal King escapes and renews his ambition to rule? And this time, it won't be Ancient Hyutreno anymore. It'll be the entire world. If you release him, there's no telling what mayhem the Eternal King will unleash on this world!" Elsa protested.

"Like I said, I've come too far to turn back now." Ingrid said confidently, ignoring Elsa's warning. "It's a risk I will have to take." She rolled up the parchment and held it in her hand. "Nothing will stand in my way. You hear me? Nothing!"

Then without warning, a portal of purple mist opened up in the middle of the room where the Elemental Sorcerers and the Pilgrim stood, and four figures leapt out. Elsa's heart skipped a beat as she realized what was happening. The Crossing Point closed behind them, and there stood Anna, Kristoff, Maui and Melody.

"What-what is this?" Ingrid shot a stupefied glance at Elsa.

"I don't know." She answered truthfully. This was not supposed to happen! She had given the letter to Anna to tell her to keep away, but apparently her plan had backfired on her. _Talk about unthinkable!_

"You…betrayed us all." Ingrid hissed, and turned to the rest of the Elemental Sorcerers. "Attack them!"

Before Elsa could stop Jade, Jordan and Deirdre, another Crossing Point opened beneath the feet of the three sorcerers, swallowing them down into the portal of purple mist. It then closed abruptly, leaving behind only Ingrid, Elsa and Will in the centre of the room, surrounded by the Warriors. Will hurried to the side of the Warriors upon recognizing them. Lining the walls stood Janus and the Knights of Vengeance, and Elsa feared the worst.

Before Ingrid or the mercenaries could react, Maui shape-shifted into a dragon with a long spiky tail, and with his tail, swept the container off the table. It crashed onto the floor, glass splintering everywhere, and the lime green contents flowed out onto the cobbled stone ground.

"Whoops." Anna shrugged her shoulders almost comically. "Guess you're all out of tricks. No more secret youth potion."

"I see," Ingrid said darkly, observing the turn of events unfold before her very eyes. She whirled and grabbed Elsa by the collar, pulling her close. "You told them about this place and the Herbs. You gave them a way to even the playing field."

"I didn't-no, I swear!" Elsa was bewildered. In truth, she had not seen this coming either and she didn't know what to do.

"Liar!" Ingrid snarled. "I think you're forgetting our agreement. I've kept my promise, haven't I? But you failed to keep up your end of the bargain, and for that," She pushed Elsa away forcefully and turned to Anna. "Your baby sister is going to die."

"NO!" Elsa screamed as black magic suddenly exploded from Ingrid's hands, and dark red waves of energy flew straight for her sister. Her heart sank and she closed her eyes in despair as there was a deafening boom and a coruscation of blinding light from the impact which engulfed the entire room.


	34. Chapter 32: Evening the Odds

Chapter Thirty Two

Evening the Odds

**ANNA**

_This had better work_, Anna thought to herself as she gripped the _Qa'nneth_ underneath her coat and muttered the quick spell Tracy had taught her under her breath as the enraged Pilgrim snapped dangerously at her sister. Obviously the cloaked witch thought that Elsa had given the Warriors a way in and betrayed the League, but only Anna and the Warriors knew that wasn't true. Nonetheless, the Pilgrim was in a fit of rage and had just turned her attention to Anna.

She finished reciting the incantation just as the Pilgrim set her sights on Anna, and crossed her fingers while holding on to the amulet underneath her coat. _This had better work, otherwise…it wouldn't matter anymore._ Anna closed her eyes and squirmed as the Pilgrim unleashed all manner of evil magic from her being and dark red waves of energy washed toward her direction.

Anna braced for impact, but it never came. Instead, there was a deafening boom and a blinding white light emerged from her being and descended upon the entire room. When she opened her eyes, she saw the incredulous look on the Pilgrim's face and grinned. _It'd worked! _

"Not what you were expecting?" Anna said mockingly, secretly extremely relieved that she hadn't been turned to dust or a puddle of goo on the floor.

The Pilgrim stared at her with wide green eyes, the wrinkles on her face showing her age. "You…you found the _Qa'nneth_."

"I did." Anna declared triumphantly. "I mean," she glanced at Melody and the rest. "We did."

"That's impossible," The Pilgrim backed away. "How-" She shot a glance at Elsa.

Elsa narrowed her eyes. "You're right about one thing, Ingrid. All bets are off." In the blink of an eye, a controlled snow storm formed around her and the Pilgrim, swirling round and causing the room to be blanketed in snow.

Anna watched as Elsa pulled the snow storm inward, and unleashed a powerful stream of ice that froze the Pilgrim solid and trapped her in a huge block of ice, thick as an entire iceberg. She could hear the Pilgrim screeching as her voice trailed off and a look of fury was stuck on the witch's bony face.

Upon trapping the Pilgrim, Elsa immediately turned her attention to her surroundings, raising her hands with her palms up. A blockade of ice formed around the Warriors, shutting out the mercenaries that surrounded them. The ice extended all the way up to the high ceiling, sealing off the room, leaving only the Warriors, Will, the frozen Pilgrim and Elsa in the middle. Silence fell upon the room as Elsa dropped her hands and looked at Anna cautiously.

"Anna?" There was fear and uncertainty in Elsa's voice, Anna could hear it. She guessed that Elsa was afraid of what Anna and the rest now thought of her after everything that had happened in the past week. It was time to clear all doubts.

"Elsa!" Anna rushed up to her sister who flinched and enveloped her in a tight hug before she could protest. "Oh, Elsa. I thought we lost you forever!"

"I'm so sorry," Elsa choked, audibly relieved that she was welcomed back with open arms. "Anna, you wouldn't believe how long I've waited for this moment. To finally have a chance to apologize after all the horrible things I've done."

"I'm sorry too." Anna whispered. "I shouldn't have said that you were a horrible sister and that it was like we weren't even family."

"You didn't say that."

"I sort of implied it." Anna admitted wholeheartedly. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have."

"I deserve that, after everything I've put you through. But I'm sorry. I really am."

"Elsa, I know the truth. I know what happened."

"Ingrid forced me, I didn't have a choice." Elsa's eyes watered and her voice trembled. "Please, you have to believe me. I'm not evil, I'm-"

"Elsa!" Anna held her tightly and gave her a squeeze. "We know. It's okay." Anna could feel Elsa's shoulder shake violently as she rested in Anna's embrace. Sighing cathartically, Elsa trembled as she exhaled, and then drew back from Anna.

"Anna, I'm so glad you're okay." Elsa brushed Anna's left cheek tenderly, and she flinched at the touch. "And I'm sorry about the bruise. I had to keep up appearances and-"

"And take the chance to slip me the letter." Anna grinned at her sister. "That was a stroke of genius." She rubbed the purple bruise. "But it did hurt."

Elsa's own cheeks flushed red. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's a small price to pay for the truth. I'm so glad you're not evil."

Elsa squeezed Anna's hand, and turned to the rest of the Warriors who were standing by. "Thank you for believing in me."

"To be honest," Kristoff scratched his nose. "I had my doubts."

"And you had every reason to think so." Elsa assured him. "The only thing I can do is to earn back your trust. All of your trust." She glanced round at Maui and Melody as well.

"I knew I made the right call in coming back." Maui opened his arms, and Elsa allowed herself to be scooped up in his embrace and he squeezed her lightly.

"I'm glad to see you, Maui." She ruffled his curly black hair. "It's been a while. And don't worry, I know you're thinking about what happened back in Arendelle." She smiled. "You're not a monster to me."

"Is that going to be a recurring catchphrase or something?" Maui joked as he released her, and Elsa chuckled.

"Welcome back to the Warriors, Elsa." Melody extended her a warm handshake, which Elsa returned with a sisterly hug.

"I'm relieved." Elsa laughed. "Being an evil sorceress in the League has been nothing short of draining." Then, she glanced round as if something was amiss. "Wait, where's Tracy?"

"Don't worry," Melody assured her. "It's part of our plan."

"What plan?"

"You saw how the _Qa'nneth_ amulet cancelled out the Pilgrim's powers, right?" Anna said.

Elsa nodded.

"It's like a magic dampener of sorts, and it has a proximity effect." She continued. "Tracy, who coincidentally is a '_Ha'naeth_' too, explained that it would have the same effect on her, making her more of a liability than an asset in our fight against the League."

"So she decided to distance herself, taking the fight with her into the Crossing Zone where she still had access to her powers." Maui added. "You saw how the Elemental Sorcerers disappeared."

"I did." Elsa said. "But the Elemental Sorcerers, they're not evil. They're just under the Pilgrim's psychic control. She's manipulating them into doing her will unconsciously."

"Yeah, we know." Kristoff said. "You told us in the letter."

"But Tracy is still in danger." Elsa said urgently. "Alone, each of them is powerful enough, but together they'll be deadly. Tracy might not be a match for them. We have to help her."

"We will." Melody replied confidently.

"So sure of yourselves, aren't you?" The Pilgrim's ominous drawl came out of nowhere, causing Anna and the others to jump in shock. "That's amusing."

Anna stared at the block of ice. The Pilgrim was still frozen solid, there was no way she could get out! Then where was the voice coming from?

"You think you've won?" The Pilgrim's cackle echoed throughout the walls of the room, bouncing off the high ceiling. "Foolish children, playing in dark waters far out of your depth. Nothing and no one can stop me now."

The ice began to vibrate and then out of the blue, it shattered into a million pieces, as if broken from the inside. However, when the ice fell, it revealed that there was no one trapped inside!

"Where-" Anna spun round. "Guys? We got a new problem. She's not here!"

"Her magic." Elsa gritted her teeth. "She's too powerful. Don't let your guard down."

The witch's evil drawl rang out again through the room. "You can't win, and you won't escape from Swynvort. Knights, attack!"

The walls of ice that served as a blockade around the Warriors were laced with dark red spots of magic, pulling apart the ice. Beginning to crack and crumble inwards, the walls disintegrated and fell like the walls of a fortress coming down. Maui quickly shape-shifted into a giant eagle, using his huge wings to cover the Warriors, shielding them from the falling blocks of ice. When everything settled down and the air was clear once more, Elsa let out a gasp.

"What is it?" Kristoff asked.

"Janus. The Knights. They're gone." She pointed to where the mercenaries used to line the walls of the spacious room.

Anna looked round to see that there was no one left in the room except themselves. "They move fast."

"We'll go after them." Melody removed her bow that was slung across her back, nodding at Kristoff. "They won't get away this time."

"No wait, you don't understand." Elsa grabbed Melody's arm as she moved off. "Jan- Prometheus isn't completely evil."

"How can you say that?" Melody looked at her in bewilderment. "He's working with the Pilgrim!"

"Trust me. I got through to him." Elsa protested. "Why else do you think he defied the Pilgrim's orders and left without a fight?"

"Traitor or not, he's still an mercenary." Kristoff argued. "And he's not getting away."

Melody and Kristoff swiftly left the room before Elsa could protest any further.

"Elsa? We got our own problems." Anna waved at the table, and Elsa turned to look where she was pointing.

"The map. It's gone." Elsa said grimly.

"The Pilgrim took it with her. She could be anywhere now." Maui added.

"We can't let her get to the Eternal King." Elsa looked distressed. "If she does and the Eternal King goes free, who knows what kind of havoc he'll wreak on the earth? It'll be like Ancient Hyutreno all over again!"

"Way ahead of you, Elsa." Anna said. "We know what's at stake here."

"Oh, and anyone knows what we're gonna do with Daltrey over here?" Maui gestured at Will, who was silently spectating the events unfold before him. It was almost like he was invisible during the entire commotion.

"Wow. Completely forgot you were here." Anna looked at Will. "Hi. Are you alright?"

"I think so?" Will said meekly. "That Prometheus guy drew my blood."

"I know, Will. He did it to all of us." Elsa said. "Remember when I said I would be needing your help? Now's the time."

"But-" Will went pale. "But I don't even know how to control my powers. I..I-"A breeze began to circle him and gradually grew stronger. "See? See what I mean?!" he shouted frantically above the sound of the gale.

"Close your eyes and breathe." Elsa called out loudly, shielding herself from the strong gust of wind that orbited Will.

"What?"

"Just do it! Listen to your breathing and think about home."

Anna watched with eyes wide as saucers as the teenage boy did as Elsa instructed, and the winds began to die down, slowly but surely. "I don't believe it." She whispered to Maui.

Will opened his eyes slowly as the breeze faded away. "I-"

"You got it." Elsa gave him a reassuring smile.

"It felt like I was controlling it. I could feel like I had my powers on a leash, and it was…"

"Liberating?"

"Yeah."

"Good. I'm going to need you to hang onto that. We're going to help Tracy against the rest of the Elemental Sorcerers." Elsa told him.

"How? Getting my panic attack under control is one thing, but fighting experienced magic people is a whole different story!"

"We'll figure it out. Don't worry, I'll be there to guide you along." Elsa reassured him. "I know this isn't the ideal training scenario, but we have to work with what we got."

"Quick question." Anna inserted herself into the conversation. "How are we going to get into the Crossing Zone to help Tracy?"

"We?" Elsa turned her attention back to Anna. "No, no, no. Anna, you're not coming with us. It's not safe."

"Well, excuse me," Anna's voice rose indignantly. "I've been a part of this mission to save _you_ since the very beginning. There's no way you're benching _me_ when I've risked everything to save your a-"

"She's right, Elsa." Maui agreed. "Your sister's proven herself. She's one of us and she can take care of herself."

"I don't believe this." Anna heard Elsa mutter under her breath. "Alright, fine." She glanced at Anna sternly. "But you better be careful. I'm not losing you again."

"But Anna's right," Maui continued. "How are we going to get into the Crossing Zone without Tracy?"


	35. Chapter 33: Round Two

Chapter Thirty Three

Round Two

**TRACY**

"Okay…" Tracy rubbed her palms together. She had just sent the Warriors through a Crossing Point into the Pilgrim's lair. The information Elsa had written in the letter had panned out, and Tracy had managed to accurately teleport the rest into Swynvort. At least, she hoped it was the right place. Otherwise, the Warriors would have been dropped into the cold, freezing sea in the Northwest Region. Nope, it had to be the right place.

Anyway, she really hoped the plan would work. Honestly, it was all a bit complicated and confusing, but it was a necessary bane in order for them to succeed. They had failed before because of a direct approach and being picked apart by the League. But this time, the Warriors were going to reverse that strategy. Divide and conquer.

Since Anna and Tracy couldn't be in the same place at the same time because of the _Qa'nneth_, Tracy was going to keep the fight in the Crossing Zone by pulling the Elemental Sorcerers in. That would give Anna and the rest the opportunity to take down the Pilgrim with the help of the _Qa'nneth_ amulet while Tracy held her own in the Crossing Zone. She just had to keep them occupied long enough and away from the Pilgrim and the rest.

Only when she felt it was safe and the threat neutralized would she open up the Crossing Zone to allow the rest to help her fight off the Elemental Sorcerers. Not to boast, but she was probably the only one who could take them all on and survive. She was a _Ha'naeth_, after all. Till the Warriors sorted things out, she was on her own against them.

"Here goes nothing." She drew her huge breath, and then closed her eyes. Stretching out her arms, she focused on Anna's emotions and locked on to her location. When she felt she had a rough sensing of the room and the hostiles' positions, she moved one of her hands in a giant circular motion above her head. A Crossing Point opened from above, and Tracy stepped away quickly as three figures fell through the portal of purple mist and onto the ground of the Crossing Zone.

Yup. It was the three Elemental Sorcerers. She had got it right, and now she was in for a world of trouble.

"You…" The one Tracy recognized as the fire sorceress growled, getting off the other two sorcerers and brushing herself off.

"Hi." Tracy waved nonchalantly. "Nothing personal." _One, two three, four, _she began counting in her head.

"Let's make it personal then."

"Okay." Tracy dug in, ready for a fight. All she had to do was stall till enough time had passed and she was sure that the Pilgrim had been dealt with, and then she could let the rest of the Warriors in to assist her. _Twelve, thirteen, fourteen…_

The fiery sorceress' hands began to glow yellow, then orange, and then red. _Wow_, Tracy thought to herself. _She's angry._ The fiery sorceress hurled two balls of fire at Tracy, who dodged them neatly, circling round. The other two sorcerers had gotten up and were now standing alongside the first. _Great. _

"I'm guessing it's too late to say welcome to the Crossing Zone?" Tracy glanced at three hostiles. _Fifty four, fifty five, fifty six, fifty seven…_

"Oh, we've been here before." The girl with electricity said, and the boy, presumably her brother, nodded and looked ready for a fight.

"Ah. Cool." Tracy glanced round as she noticed the fiery sorceress circling around to her back. "So you know…there's no earth to manipulate in here, right?" she gestured at the boy.

"Oh, Jordan knows." His sister said.

"A pretty neat trick, don't you think? Evening the odds a little. It was my idea." Tracy said proudly, stalling for time. _Seventy one, seventy two, seventy three…_

"Don't worry, you still have enough on your plate as it is." Jolts of electricity jumped between her hands, and she aimed them at Tracy.

"Woah!" Tracy brought her own hands together, and a dark purple lance made out of black magic materialized in her hands, and she gripped it tightly in front of her. The lance absorbed the electricity from the attack as if it was a lightning rod, and she wielded it carefully, glancing behind her back.

The fiery sorceress had positioned herself directly behind her back. _Smart._ Tracy knew that either way she faced, she would have a blind spot, leaving herself open to attack from either enemy. There was only one way to rectify this.

"Come on, then. What are ya waiting for, Sparkles? Can I call you Sparkles?" Tracy taunted the second girl.

"Cool nickname, but no." 'Sparkles' sounded amused, and formed a long tendril of electricity in her hand. Using it like a whip, she lashed out at Tracy with it.

Tracy dropped to the ground, and the tendril swung over her head, catching the fiery sorceress by surprise instead.

"Gah!" The fiery sorceress grunted as the electricity jolted through her, and Sparkles drew it back quickly before it could do any further damage to her ally.

"Sorry!" Sparkles winced.

"Grrr…" The first girl growled, staring at Tracy who was still crouched low.

"Technically, that wasn't really my fault." She shrugged, and then rolled out of the way swiftly as a ball of flames was thrown inches from her face. Tracy got to her feet, now out of the middle, eyes darting left and right at the three sorcerers. _One forty, One forty one…_

The boy called Jordan couldn't use his powers in the Crossing Zone, so he wasn't exactly much of a threat right now. The main focus was playing keep away from Sparkles and the fiery one. _That sounded easier than it actually was. _

"Stop avoiding the inevitable. There's no escape." The fiery sorceress inched closer toward her.

"You're kind of right. There's no escape, for you." Tracy pointed at them. "See, if you kill me, you'll have no way out of the Crossing Zone."

"Oh, don't worry, we won't kill you." Sparkles said.

"We're gonna make you wish you were dead." The fiery sorceress added dangerously.

"Man, that's dark." Tracy arched her eyebrows. Two purple lances of black magic formed in her hands, and she got ready to move. _Two eleven, two twelve…_

The two enemy sorceresses launched simultaneous attacks at Tracy, and she warded off jolts of electricity and balls of fire as fast as she could. She ran sidewards, holding up her lances in defence as the attacks kept coming. She took a huge leap, dropped low and hurled one of the lances at the fiery sorceress.

Before the lance could reach her, it was melted in midair by a massive heatwave, and Tracy could feel the temperature spike drastically. Sweating, she got to her feet with the remaining lance in her left hand. Switching to her right, she held it up quickly in front of her as a bolt of electricity surged towards her face. The lance absorbed the energy, and with her other hand, Tracy created a shield made out of black magic, protecting her from a few more hurls of fiery balls by the first girl.

However, the combined attacks from both sorceresses were beginning to overwhelm her, and she sank to a knee. Still holding up her lance and shield, they continued to absorb the impact from both simultaneous attacks which were annoyingly relentless. The two sorceresses inched closer and closer to Tracy, till they were literally a few steps away. The sheer force and magnitude of both their attacks proved to be way too much, and Tracy's legs gave way beneath her. The attacks ceased, and the two sorceresses, joined by Jordan, towered over their fallen prey.

"Had enough?" Sparkles asked.

_Two ninety eight, two ninety nine, three hundred. It was time. _Tracy chortled to herself.

"What's so funny?" The fiery sorceress asked.

"You just ran out of time." Tracy grinned triumphantly at her two confused enemies. She shot out a hand behind her, and a Crossing Point opened. "Here comes the cavalry."

**MELODY**

"That way," Melody glanced down the dark corridor.

"Are you sure?" Kristoff asked.

"That side leads to a dead end." Melody gestured at the opposite side. "Prometheus and his mercenaries could have only gone done this way. Come on."

"The one good thing about this passages," Kristoff said as he ran alongside Melody. "No forks. They lead to only one place at a time."

"Probably something to do with the old designs. This place looks like it's been here for centuries."

"It probably has." Kristoff said as they neared a stairwell. "If the whole League being around for centuries thing is true."

"Look." Melody slowed to a halt, and pointed across the parapet. A large hall could be seen below, where many young sorcerers were scattered, all engaged in what seemed to be…training.

"They're training?" Kristoff arched an eyebrow.

"I think so." Melody still couldn't believe her eyes. So many people with magic abilities all hidden away from the world…the League was way bigger than she had imagined. So far she had only encountered the Elemental Sorcerers, but the Pilgrim had stashed away so many young people for her own nefarious schemes and missions! That made Melody's blood boil.

"I see him!" Kristoff pointed at the edge of the training hall, and Melody squinted to see where he was gesturing to. A group of men in black, led by one in a cloak and hood, raced across the training hall, pushing the sorcerers out of the way.

"Meet me down there." Melody removed an arrow from her quiver, nocked it, and aimed.

"Wait, hold on-"

"There's no time!" Melody let fly, and a grappling arrow with a solid line flew out.

Before Kristoff could get in another word, she anchored one end to the parapet, and as the other end found its mark in the ground of the training hall, the daredevil girl hooked her bow up on the line and launched herself off the parapet without a second thought.

Sliding down the cable, she saw Prometheus turn as he noticed the line. But by then it was too late for him. She stretched out both legs and bent them a little at the knees. Prometheus took the full force of the impact, rolling across the ground at her kick. She unhooked her bow and dropped to the ground, not waiting to reach the end of the line. By this time, a sizeable group of the young sorcerers had gathered round to watch the intruder take on the entire group of mercenaries and the Pilgrim's second in command.

"You." Prometheus stood to his feet, flanked by his mercenaries.

"Yeah. Me." Melody gripped her bow tightly. From the corner of her eye, she saw Kristoff running to join up with her.

"I don't want to fight." Prometheus said, his tone unreadable. "Leave me alone."

"Can't do that." Kristoff joined Melody's side. "You've committed some pretty serious crimes, and we're not letting you get away."

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Prometheus shed his heavy cloak, revealing his leather jacket and hood, and his usual assortment of weapons. The bow, a quiver, scabbard and a couple of knife holsters around his belt. "Last chance."

Melody set her jaw. "You're not getting away this time."

"As you wish." She imagined that he was narrowing his eyes behind the mask, and then he called out loudly. "Everyone out."

The sorcerers that crowded the training hall cleared out of the space, heading up to the bleachers above to spectate the fight.

He turned to his own mercenaries, which numbered about a dozen. "You will not interfere."

"Oh don't worry," Kristoff said, drawing two knives in icepick grips. "They'll have their hands full."

Prometheus removed his Martin Panther Recurve bow from his back and stood with his feet at shoulder width apart. "Let's get this over with."

Melody drew back her own Hoyt Satori bow and narrowed her eyes. "With pleasure."

Author's Commentary:

Well things are getting interesting. The simultaneous battles going on between the various combatants were incredibly hard to pace and develop, but they were extremely fun to write. I haven't had this much fun in a very long time. And just to keep you excited, at the time of this writing, I've already begun working on a sequel which is going to be bigger, more explosive and dangerous than ever. But for now, stay stoked for what comes next! And yes, to answer your question, things are only going to ramp up from this point onwards.


	36. Chapter 34: Battle of the Crossing Zone

Chapter Thirty Four

Battle of The Crossing Zone

**ELSA**

"I think that's our cue." Maui shouted as a portal of purple mist opened abruptly.

"Unbelievable." Elsa marvelled at the successive progression of the plan. Who would have thought that her friends could come up with such an intricately planned assault? She was glad that she was on their side. They hadn't had to wait very long since the Elemental Sorcerers were dragged into the Crossing Zone by Tracy, and that too had been part of the plan. Apparently, Tracy's role was to divide the League and hold them off while the rest dealt with the Pilgrim, Janus and the Knights of Vengeance.

While the Pilgrim had already escaped, Melody and Kristoff had paired up in pursuit of Janus and his followers. It was still hard to believe that Janus had finally taken control of his own life and defied the Pilgrim's orders. Evidently he didn't want a hand in killing Elsa or her friends, and had abandoned Ingrid to her own devices. But Ingrid didn't know it yet though, as she had already vanished from Swynvort to search for the prison of the Eternal King.

In truth, this was all getting a bit too complicated for Elsa, and all she wanted was to end the threat of the Pilgrim and the League, and return home to Arendelle with her sister and friends.

"Come on!" Anna unsheathed a rapier from her side and dove into the Crossing Point conjured up by Tracy.

_Yet another shocker. Since when did Anna carry a sword around?_ Elsa shook her head. Being on mission with the Warriors must have really changed her quite a fair bit. Just like being a prisoner of the League had helped her see the uglier side of life and empathise with other people with magical powers and fractured pasts.

"Let's go, Will." Elsa called out to the teenager. "It's time."

"I'm…not sure I'm up for this." Will said uncertainly. "I might end up doing more harm than good."

"Nonsense." Elsa took his arm firmly. "You'll do fine. Just follow my lead."

Dragging Will along, she followed Maui through the Crossing Point after Anna, and the four of them stood in the Crossing Zone, with the portal closing behind them. Jade, Jordan and Deirdre stood in a line in front of Tracy, with their backs to where the four had just entered.

"Right then, my time's up. See ya." The moment the Warriors entered, Tracy hurriedly opened a Crossing Point behind her and allowed herself to fall through it. The portal sealed the moment she exited the Crossing Zone.

"Wait, why-where's she going?" Elsa was confused.

"Tracy can't be in the same place as I am, remember?" Anna gripped her rapier a little tighter.

"The _Qa'nneth_ cancels out _Ha'naeth_ magic. Tracy would be powerless when Anna is around with the amulet." Maui explained. "She's going after the Pilgrim."

Elsa had to admit, the plan was indeed a remarkable one. Never would she have thought that the ragtag bunch of outsiders she had met months ago would have been able to pull off a plan as elaborate as this one.

By this time, the three Elemental Sorcerers had realized that Tracy had just been stalling for time, and had turned their attention to the four Warriors, closing the gap between the two opposing factions.

"Frost, you're turning on us now?" Jade said, sounding genuinely hurt.

"We don't have to do this." Elsa tried to reason with her. "We don't have to fight."

"I'm sorry, Elsa. We have no choice." Deirdre said. "We swore to protect the Pilgrim."

"And you bringing your Warriors here is a threat that must be stopped."

"Jade, think about this." Elsa raised both hands cautiously as a bid for peace. "The Pilgrim, she's been manipulating you. All of you. She's been using the Elemental Sorcerers all this time just so that she can become immortal. What happened to justice?"

"The Pilgrim's goals are the League's. She has the greater good in mind." Deirdre said.

"Man, talk about delusional." Anna muttered under her breath.

"I'm sorry, Frost." Jade said. "If you're going to stand in our way, we'll have to cut you and your friends down."

"We only just patched things up," Deirdre looked at Elsa. "Don't make me hurt you."

"It's pointless arguing with them." Maui whispered. "The Pilgrim's hold on them is too strong."

"Which is why we gotta keep them occupied till Tracy can fix this." Anna said.

"Fix this?" Elsa turned to Anna.

"Only a _Ha'naeth_ can break another _Ha'naeth's_ spell."

"Wow." The plan went much deeper than Elsa had thought. "Okay. Then we keep them occupied."

"This is not going to end well." Will murmured.

"Last chance, Frost." Jade said, glancing anxiously at Deirdre and Jordan who were by her side, ready for whatever happened next. "Don't turn on us now."

"You know my allegiance was never to the Pilgrim. It never was." Elsa stood her ground, hands at hip level. From the corner of her eye, she could see Will inching backwards, and she could sense his fear.

"Then you will die with your friends." Deirdre hurled a massive ball of fire at the Warriors, which Elsa met with her own stream of ice in mid air.

The impact between the heat and the cold produced a screen of steam which obscured both parties' vision. And then out from the steam leapt Jade, her hands sparkling with electricity.

"Get clear!" Anna shouted and leapt out of the way as Jade landed in their midst.

"Gahh!" Will took off running in the opposite direction.

"Will! Come back, you idiot!" Maui shouted after him. "Where does he think he's going? This is the Crossing Zone. The fool will probably get himself lost in here!"

"Maui, go after him. We'll hold down the fort here." Elsa evaded Jade's wild blasts and shot a glance at Anna. "You ready?"

"Born ready." Anna brought her guard up, hands tightly wound round the hilt.

Jordan and Deirdre emerged from the steam which had largely faded away, and attempted to circle Anna. She smartly backed away, not allowing them to surround her on both sides.

"Jordan!" Jade shouted frantically. "Get back and stay out of this!"

"Tell them _both_ to stand down!" Elsa said. "And _stop_ this, Jade. Please!"

"You asked for this when you betrayed the Pilgrim," Jade glared acidly at her. "There's only one way this can end."

"No!" Elsa dived low as Jade threw bolts of electricity at her. She quickly formed a large barrier of ice around Jade. Reinforcing the thickness of the walls of ice around her, Elsa trapped Jade in a tall block of ice.

"Found him!" Maui, who had shape-shifted into a large brown hawk, dropped Will off beside Elsa. "He didn't get too far."

"Thanks. Anna needs help. Go!" Elsa turned her attention to Will.

A brilliant blue light came from inside the barrier of ice, and it shattered, electrical tendrils shooting out of the gaps. As ice fell all around Elsa and Will, she looked at him.

"Will, it's now or never. I need your help."

"I don't know how!" His eyes were wide with despair.

"I can't keep her trapped in ice. She'll just break out again and again. It has to be you."

"How?"

"Just follow my lead!"

Jade emerged from the barrier of ice that had encased her, and walked towards the two. "That was cold." She stated dryly, raising her hands again.

"Focus, Will. Think about the wind." Elsa said, pulling him to the ground as a bolt of electricity rocketed past their heads. "Then think about your hands." She pulled him to his feet and fired a blast of ice at Jade, making her dive out of the way, buying them a few seconds.

"Are you thinking about the wind? Your hands?"

"Yeah." Will sounded uncertain.

"Good. Then imagine that wind as part of you. The magic within you, causing the wind to obey your every command. Got that?" Elsa fired another volley of ice pellets at Jade, who inched nearer to them, fingertips sparking dangerously.

"Yeah." Will closed his eyes. "I feel it."

"Good." Elsa formed a short barricade of ice in front of her and Will, crouching beneath it with Will as Jade launched another tendril of electricity at them. "Then tell it what to do. Remember, you're in control. Ready?"

"Uh huh."

Elsa pulled Will out from behind the barricade and pointed at Jade. "Now!"

The teenage boy narrowed his eyes. It began with a breeze around Jade. And then it grew into a gale. And then a storm. A controlled typhoon sucked Jade up and spun her round like she was a piece of paper. She flew round and round and Elsa could only catch a glimpse of her as she made the fifty first or fifty second rotation, a complete blur of colours. And then Will pulled his hands down forcefully, causing the typhoon to cease abruptly.

Jade collapsed to the ground in a heap, gasping for air. She tried to get up, and instead retched, spilling the contents from breakfast onto the ground of the Crossing Zone.

"Gross." Elsa winced. She turned to Will and smiled. "You did it."

"Thanks? I guess." Will glanced worriedly over at Jade. "Will she be okay?"

"Don't worry, she's tough." Elsa looked over at the groaning girl. "But she'll be out of action for now."

Author's Commentary:

Thus far I hope you're enjoying this. This was NOT easy to plan and write at all. Elsa and her friends engage the Elemental Sorcerers while Tracy goes after the Pilgrim, and Will learns how to use his powers on the job. It certainly makes for some interesting tension.

Meanwhile, Melody and Kristoff face off against Prometheus and the Knights. This might have been my favourite fight to write yet. I've already written two hand-to-hand fights between Melody and Major Kane, as well as one extremely intense battle with Prometheus. What's left to do?

I had to dig extremely deep into my arsenal of tricks to find some juicy stuff to choreograph for this fight. It helped to have some experience in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), as it gave me ideas and helped me visualize what could play out. Don't worry, there's still a lot more fighting left to be done in the coming chapter. By my count we still have six more chapters of the climax to go.

Leave a review if you've enjoyed it! I'll really appreciate it


	37. Chapter 35: A Battle of Two Archers

Chapter Thirty Five

A Clash of Two Archers

**MELODY**

_We've come a long way from the National Games._ Melody glanced at the bleachers filled with young teenage sorcerers, and stared back at Prometheus, her bow still drawn back. The hooded and masked mercenary stood with his guard down, his hands not even raised to defend himself. The knights stood behind him, waiting for their commander to give the word. But he had already given it, warning them not to get involved.

Eyes narrowed, feet apart, she had a determined look on her face, but her palms were getting sweaty. What if she couldn't win? The last fight with Prometheus hadn't turned out well. That was sorely understating things. She had been decimated by the skilled mercenary, left with cracked ribs and bruises across her body. Was she really ready to start a fight she wasn't sure she could win? If she lost again this time, there was a chance that he could kill her. Her grip tightened on the bowstring. It was a risk she was going to have to take.

All this took place in her mind within the span of two seconds, and Melody released the bowstring. The arrow flew straight at Prometheus, and he caught it deftly in his gloved hand. _Someday, I'm going to have to learn how to do that._ She ran towards Prometheus, and Kristoff sprinted past her to engage the mercenaries at the back.

She hadn't seen Kristoff fight before, but she was guessing he was formidable enough to take the mercenaries on. Regardless, she had her own problems to worry about. Rapidly closing the gap between them, she watched as Prometheus tossed the arrow aside and fired one of his own at her. Melody promptly moved her head to a side and the arrow whizzed past her.

Dropping to the ground, she rolled in between his legs and came up behind him. He saw her coming, and spun round to face her, and as he did, she sprung up, delivering a solid uppercut. He blocked it with both hands, moving back to put some distance between them. Dropping his bow, he drew his katana from the scabbard on his back.

Melody kept her eyes fixed on Prometheus. If there was anything she learnt from last time, it was to not let down her guard in his presence. The man was not only strong, but fast and skilled, perhaps even more skilled than her. She had never fought an opponent she couldn't defeat before. But that all changed in Quodrun when she had lost bitterly. It was almost a no-contest that time.

However, this time had to be different. She had to fight not just harder, but smarter too. But how? Prometheus was just as fast as her, if not faster, and seemed to know every technique she had attempted to execute. It was almost as though he could read her movements. _Then maybe it's time to try a new approach. One that had yielded results with Major Kane. _

Drawing an arrow, she nocked and aimed it at Prometheus' chest.

"Haven't we been through this before?" Prometheus said, his tone somewhat exasperate.

"Maybe." She said, and then aimed at his shin. Before he could react, the arrow found its mark in his leg, and he staggered to a knee.

Now that she had demolished his vertical base, she dashed toward him and delivered a running knee to his face. Prometheus sprawled in a daze, but reacted quickly by catching her other leg while she was still in mid air. Momentum interrupted, she fell but broke her fall expertly, rolling away from Prometheus.

With a grunt, he quickly removed the arrow that had lodged itself into the flesh and muscles of his leg, and got up as best as he could muster. Tossing the arrow aside, he looked at Melody.

"Neat trick." He said.

"Stick around and I'll show you some more." Melody replied.

"I don't intend to." Melody didn't see his hand reach for a knife from his belt, and almost took the blade in her shoulder, slinking away at the last second. As she did that, Prometheus charged her, katana in hand.

She brought up her recurve bow in a last second parry, and Prometheus leaned down hard, blade grinding against the carbon fibre limbs of her bow. Kicking his injured leg, he gave way and she brought up her knee. It caught him in the midsection, and he stumbled. As he was slightly off balance, Melody slammed the riser of the bow against his hand, knocking the katana free. Regaining his balance in a split second, Prometheus smashed his elbow against the side of her head. He spun swiftly, positioning himself behind Melody.

He locked his hands around her neck and applied a chokehold. With his remaining healthy leg, he slammed his boot into the back of Melody's knee, forcing her off her own vertical base. Using his own weight and gravity, he pulled himself and Melody onto the ground of the training hall, the sorcerers still watching the intense fight with wide eyes from the bleachers.

Melody could feel her throat constrict as Prometheus tightened his grip on her. _Smart. _Forcing them both to the ground so she had a harder time struggling to get back up to her feet. Twice, she slammed her elbow into his side as hard as she could. When he loosened his hold slightly, she wriggled her way out of his hold and turned around, crouched on top of the mercenary. She began pummelling blows while he held up his guard to protect his face.

Strangely, he dropped his guard and exposed his head. Not missing the opening, Melody aimed straight for his nose. He grabbed her wrist, pulled her forward with every ounce of his strength and kicked her off him. Getting up, he attempted to get on top of her, but she pulled his arm forward and locked both legs around his head in a triangle choke. She squeezed and pulled with all her might, hoping to finally slow Prometheus down.

And the big difference maker. His strength. With Melody still clinging to him, Prometheus slowly got to his feet and deadlifted her, his head still locked in a triangle choke. With all his might, he slammed her onto the ground and rolled away the moment she released his arm, picking up his bow in one hand and the katana in the other. He sheathed the katana and slung the bow across his back, leaving both hands free and ready for another round.

Her body wrecked with pain, she pushed herself off the ground only to see Prometheus walking towards her. She circled round, raising her guard. From behind her, she could hear grunting and the clanging of metal, presumably the mercenaries' swords and Kristoff's knives.

"Ready to stop?" Prometheus asked.

"Never." Melody moved her fingers, clenching her free fist.

"I'm giving you an out." He hissed from behind the mask, and Melody could have sworn that he sounded desperate. "Why don't you just take it?"

"Because after everything you've done, you're not getting away. Not this time." Melody sounded confident, but inside she was actually uncertain of whether she could take him. Regardless of the result, she had to try. And try she would.

She motioned for Prometheus to make the first move. As he moved in, she sprung forward, burying herself into his midsection, dragging him down. Before he could get to his feet, she hooked her inner leg across the back of his neck, pulling herself and him across the ground. Rolling across the ground, he broke the momentum and grabbed her leg, stretching it in a painful direction. Still lying on the ground, Melody used her flexibility to her advantage, bringing her other leg to land a solid kick to his midsection. Stunned, he let go of her leg. Getting to her feet before he could, she positioned herself steadily, lying in wait.

Prometheus got up, and she launched a roundhouse kick at his head. He saw it coming and ducked beneath her leg, spinning in close till his back was facing her. He delivered an elbow to her shoulder blade and grabbed her slack arm, hoisting her over his shoulder. Melody landed back first on the ground, and rolled out of the way as a boot slammed inches away from her face. Taking advantage of the opportunity, she delivered a spinning kick from the ground, sweeping out his injured leg from beneath him. Before Prometheus could hit the ground, he supported himself with his hands, springing back up to his feet, only to have his face met by a vicious knee which smashed his mask.

Prometheus staggered back, his mask broken in half, revealing only the left side of his face. The other piece lay on the ground, and Melody could see that his nose had been broken along with the mask, dripping blood on the ground. More shocking was the fact that there was a long scar that spanned from his forehead to his left cheek. _No wonder he wore a mask. _

Before she could react, he removed a small silver pellet from his arsenal, head lowered and other hand shielding the left side of his face. With all his might, he hurled the pellet at his feet and there was a blinding light and a cloud of smoke. When the smoke cleared, Prometheus was nowhere to be found, and the very last mercenary could be seen bolting for the exit.

"Kristoff, are you alright?" Melody glanced at Kristoff, who no longer held his knives.

"I think so." Kristoff clutched his arm. "A few nasty cuts, but nothing serious." He looked round at the mercenaries who had fallen. "The rest got away."

"I know." Melody said, picking up her bow. "His mask. The reason he fled so quickly. He can't bear to show his face."

"Are you going after him?" Kristoff glanced worriedly at the sorcerers who had gotten up from the bleachers, their murmuring getting louder.

"Yeah." Melody took off after the last mercenary. "They couldn't have gotten far."

"Right." Kristoff sighed and picked up his blood stained knives, sprinting after her as the sorcerers began climbing down towards him. "And now they're coming after us." He burst through the exit and slammed the door shut. He took a nearby pipe and jammed it through the handle of the door to slow his pursuers down.

"That's not going to hold them for long." Kristoff backed away from the door as shouts came from behind it and the door bugged slightly.

"Come on!" Melody hissed, dragging him away from the door and down the long narrow passage. "We can lose the sorcerers and catch up with Prometheus."

Author's Commentary:

Just six words. _This was ridiculously hard to write._ Please leave a review if you're enjoying this. Will be a great motivation booster :)


	38. Chapter 36: Divide and Conquer Part I

Chapter Thirty Six

Divide and Conquer Part I

**TRACY**

"Right then, my time's up. See ya." Anna and the rest were here. That meant she had to go. Right now, before her powers got cancelled out by the _Qa'nneth_ that Anna was wielding. With the flick of a wrist, Tracy opened up a portal of purple mist right behind her, and she allowed herself to free fall through it. The moment her body departed the Crossing Zone, Tracy sealed up the Crossing Point quickly and conjured up a purple mist that slowed her descent, allowing her to regain balance and control as her feet touched the ground.

She looked round. If her magic had been accurate, then this was the place. She had only gotten a brief lock on the Pilgrim's whereabouts. The magic within her seemed to perk up whenever it sensed a similar energy signature. Maybe it was because it was easier for a _Ha'naeth_ to sense one of its own kind, especially when she knew she was looking for one. Whatever the reason, she had sensed the Pilgrim's presence in this part of the world. Tracy glanced round. According to what she knew, the Eternal King was imprisoned far beneath the ruins of Ancient Hyutreno, and she guessed that that was where she was.

Catacombs with high ceilings surrounded her, with an endless drop away from the narrow stone path she was standing on. Tracy shuddered a little as she glanced away quickly from the ledge. That was a long way down. And a long way up too. When they said that the prison was far beneath the ruins of Ancient Hyutreno, they weren't kidding. There was practically no light at all in the tunnelled catacombs, and Tracy had to squint to see her surroundings.

She could roughly sense the presence of another _Ha'naeth_ further down the path. The Pilgrim was near. Tracy quickly started down the path through the tunnels, cautiously inching closer to where the Pilgrim was. The tunnel walls began to grow narrower, leading down a singular path. No doubt they were nearing the prison of the Eternal King.

"You do know I can sense you too, right?" The Pilgrim's crackling drawl came from around the corner of the narrow tunnel.

_Why didn't I think of that?_ Tracy could have hit herself. If she could sense the Pilgrim's presence, then the Pilgrim definitely would have been able to sense hers!

"No use hiding in the shadows." The Pilgrim warned. "I'll flush you out."

"And risk dying before you can get to the Eternal King?" Tracy emerged from behind the corner of the tunnel wall. "We know about the Augbine Herbs. It was the only thing keeping you alive."

The Pilgrim stared at her through her deep set eyes.

"And Maui destroyed your last supply," Tracy said. "Are you really going to risk using your magic and letting the disease overtake you before you get what you want?"

"I've come too far to be stopped now." The Pilgrim said dangerously. "I will get to the Eternal King, even if it means I have to scratch and crawl my way to him. And no one, especially not you, will get in my way."

"Time to see which _Ha'naeth_ is stronger then." Tracy's hands began to glow, and rings of purple energy flowed around her wrists.

"I don't have time for this." The witch hissed.

"Make time." Tracy let a bolt of black magic rip straight for the Pilgrim. She promptly swiped it away with a hand, causing the energy to bounce off and create a dent in the stone walls of the tunnel. The Pilgrim let one of her own waves of black magic hit the ceiling above where Tracy stood, raining down fragments of rock. Back-pedalling, Tracy repelled yet another onslaught of rapidly fired blasts of dark red energy. Two dark purple lances formed in her hands, and Tracy whipped one at the Pilgrim's hand. It caught on her wrist, and Tracy tugged with all her might, pulling the witch toward her.

The Pilgrim coughed and struggled as Tracy bent the other lance around the Pilgrim's body, securing her arms at her side. Spluttering, the Pilgrim coughed blood onto the ground, and Tracy ripped the cloak covering the Pilgrim's head off.

"What are you doing?" The Pilgrim attempted to free herself from the purple energy that bound her. Tracy forced her to her knees and placed both hands at the back of her greying head of hair.

"_Sha-jehail, Ha'naeth uhlanei, deshi, Genxath kohjirmalek_," Tracy's eyes rolled in the back of her head as she firmly held the connection between her hands and the Pilgrim's head. The both of them began to glow, a strange mix of red and purple which seemed to fight each other to determine the victor.

"Stop!" The Pilgrim cried out desperately. "Stop it!"

"_Pra'soken qrendahl, Barshen Mahztol Krudhyan Zeithetashon!_" Tracy's purple aura grew brighter and overwhelmed the red, and an intense coruscation of light illuminated the dark catacombs. And then, the light disappeared in an instant, an invisible ripple of energy travelling out from the Pilgrim's body.

"No…no…" The Pilgrim broke free of Tracy's grip and backed away, confused and devastated. "What have you done?!" She screeched through her crackling voice.

"Heh…" Tracy herself dropped to the ground under the stress of the spell, eyes fluttering and breathing heavily. "You've…" Tracy croaked weakly, a triumphant grin on her face nonetheless. "You just…lost."

**ELSA**

"Hold the line!" Elsa cried, her elbows locked and feet dug into the ground. The onslaught of fire and electricity were beginning to push her back, and Will stood beside her, manipulating the wind that similarly attempted to slow down Jade and Deirdre.

On the other side, Jordan was brawling with Anna in hand to hand combat, both evenly matched. It was evident that fighting wasn't their strong suit, but all the same, they were both holding up well against each other.

"Maui, now!" Elsa shouted, and the demigod flew in from behind with wings outstretched in an attempt to knock Jade and Deirdre clear. However, Deirdre turned quickly and sent flames blowing toward the demigod. His wings caught fire and he spun out of control, crashing heavily to the ground with a deafening screech.

Jade turned her attention back to the two opposing Elemental Sorcerers, lashing out with tendrils laced with electricity. Elsa dove to one side and Will to another, both separated. And that was exactly what Elsa was afraid of.

"Will!" She attempted to get up, and instead found her body shocked by the impact of one of Jade's tendrils. Curling up, she felt electricity jolting through her veins.

"Don't worry about him, Frost. You've got your own problems." Jade stood over Elsa, lashing out with yet another tendril which doubled the voltage.

Through her pain, Elsa could see Deirdre slowly approaching Will with her hands glowing red. With every ounce of strength left, she grabbed onto one of the tendrils and froze it, stemming the flow of electricity. She tugged it out of Jade's hand, and delivered a blast of ice that threw Jade back.

Getting up quickly, Elsa could feel the corners of her vision going spotty from the pain, but she hung on, aiming at Deirdre who had by now noticed that Elsa was fighting back. Deirdre turned and flames emerged from her hands. Elsa blocked them with one hand, ice pushing back hard against the relentless fire. Then, from the corner of her eye, she noticed Jade approaching, with electricity jumping between both hands. She pivoted a little, with one hand still focused on holding off Deirdre's flames, and met Jade's full crank of electricity with her own continuous burst of ice. _It'd all come down to this. A contest of strength. _Pushing back against both sorceresses, Elsa grunted as she held off attacks coming from both sides. Slowly but surely, she could feel her enemies' attacks getting the better out of the exchange, the flames and the electricity inching their way closer toward her by the second. _Maybe this was the end. _

Then, as if by some miracle, Jade and Deirdre dropped to the ground like rag dolls, their attacks ceasing abruptly. Panting, Elsa's arms flopped to her side, and she herself sunk to a knee. She glanced over at Anna, who was appalled to see that Jordan had fallen too.

"What's going on?" Will rushed over to help Elsa up.

"I don't know." Elsa said truthfully. "Anna, are you alright?"

"Yeah." Anna grunted as she attempted to lift Maui to his feet. The demigod had already shape-shifted back into a man, but that didn't make him any less heavy.

Elsa glanced back at the three Elemental Sorcerers who were lying motionless in the Crossing Zone. They had all fallen at the same time, as if by some force of nature…or magic.

"I think it worked." Anna grinned, wiping perspiration from her forehead.

"Tracy." Maui said, his back still smoking a little from Deirdre's attack. "She did it."

"She broke the Pilgrim's psychic hold." Anna added. "We won."

Elsa looked at her friends with wide eyes, and turned back to the fallen Elemental Sorcerers, who had begun to stir. "Jade!" She rushed over to the nearest one, and knelt down beside her. "Jade, are you…"

"Something feels strange." Jade shook her head. "Like…a fog just lifted. Something's been clouding my mind but now it's gone."

"Urgh…" Deirdre sat up by herself, hands on her temples. Jordan did the same, and Will went over to attend to him.

"Are you alright?" Anna asked, extending a hand to Deirdre.

"Feels like I've been hit by a freight train," She then stared up at Anna incredulously. "I-I tried to kill you. Why would you-"

"So you do remember." Anna grinned, motioning for Deirdre to take her hand. She did, and Anna pulled her to her feet.

"I-" Deirdre wobbled a little and steadied herself. "I remember everything but," She looked at Anna. "I couldn't help myself. It was like-"

"Like someone was telling us what to do." Jade finished, and Deirdre nodded.

"The Pilgrim," Elsa helped Jade up to her feet. "She's been controlling you from the very start without you knowing it."

"No, that's not possible." Jade blinked. "We would have known it."

"But that's just the thing." Elsa explained. "Since the moment you came in, she's been slowing sinking her hooks into your minds, till you were utterly and unconsciously under her complete control. Every decision you made may have been your own, but it was all part of a grander scheme designed by the Pilgrim."

"That cunning witch." Deirdre growled. "She didn't care about us. She plucked us off from the streets and labs and lied that she saved us. All she wanted was a mindless bunch of magical cronies to do her dirty work for her."

"That about sums it up." Maui said.

"Thank you." Jade said gratefully and took Jordan's hand as Will helped him over to the rest. "You okay?"

Jordan nodded, and an indignant look crossed his face.

"I get it, you're angry too." Jade nodded her head.

"How did you break her psychic hold over us?" Deirdre asked.

"We didn't." Anna said. "Our friend Tracy did. Remember the other sorceress on our side?"

"Remind me to thank her." Jade said and Jordan nodded in agreement.

"Speaking of Tracy, how do we get to her?" Elsa asked. "We have to help her!"


	39. Chapter 37: Divide and Conquer Part II

Chapter Thirty Seven

Divide and Conquer Part II

**MELODY**

Melody pulled Kristoff down the hallway, skidding to make a turn as the erratic pounding of footsteps and thundering shouts grew increasingly louder behind them.

"Lose the sorcerers and catch up to Prometheus, you say?" Kristoff shouted sarcastically as they fled down the dimly lit passage.

"He can't be very far ahead!"

"They're coming!" Kristoff hollered, stealing a glance behind him. "We won't be able to outrun them at this rate. We don't even know where we're going!"

"We don't have a choice!" Melody shouted back, rounding another corner.

"What if they're leading us into a dead end?" With great difficulty, Kristoff unsheathed his already bloodstained knives from both his leg holsters as they sprinted down the narrow corridor. "We're supposed to be chasing Prometheus, and now we're the ones being hunted!"

"We have to keep going!" Melody grunted, feeling her chest tighten as she tried to run and speak at the same time.

"No, _you_ have to keep going!" Kristoff screeched to a halt, spinning round to face the opposite direction where they had come from.

"What are you doing?" Melody yelled, slowing down. "Come on!"

"Go! I'll hold them off. Don't let Prometheus get away!"

Melody hesitated for a moment, before turning to go.

"I'll catch up with you later. Just go!"

"You be careful!" Melody warned, and took off running down the corridor, leaving Kristoff standing in the middle of the path.

**KRISTOFF**

The mountain man steadied his breathing and tightened his icepick grip on the knives as he waited for the swarm of bodies to show themselves round the corner. He could hear them approaching fast. Who would have thought that his life would lead him here? First, an ice harvester in the outskirts, then meeting Anna and having his life changed, and now he was a member of the Warriors, stuck in a war between his friends and an onslaught of angry young sorcerers. _I miss the simple life of ice and reindeer. _

He braced himself and waited for the horde to rear its head. Surprisingly, the shouts seemed to die down and he could hear the thudding of bodies as if they were collapsing on each other.

"What in-" Kristoff inched closer to the corner, knives still raised in a combat stance, ready for someone or something to lunge out at him. When nothing came, he peeked round the corner to see a messy pile of bodies all sprawled on the ground. "What's going on?" Kristoff looked at the dazed sorcerers in a heap.

"Help us up, man." A boy with a Molcorran accent groaned.

"And why would I do that?" Kristoff said suspiciously. "You've been trying to kill us."

"I don't know why we did that." Another boy with long black hair struggled to get up.

"Excuse me if I find it hard to believe that." Kristoff backed away as everyone started to stir from their stupor.

"Get off!" A young girl's voice squeaked from somewhere beneath the moving bodies.

"Look," Another girl with blonde hair freed herself from the mountain of bodies and came forward. "Everything's foggy, but I'm starting to see now."

"Yeah," the first boy with the Molcorran accent stood up. "I don't know what we were doing."

"Okay, time out." Kristoff looked bewildered. "So you're telling me that you weren't trying to kill us?"

"We were," The young girl with the squeaky high pitched voice pushed forward. "I think. But then suddenly it's like…something lifted."

"All of you?" Kristoff glanced round, to confused nods of agreement. "Ugh." He groaned and sheathed his knives. "I can't wait to get out of here." He turned back to the teenagers staring at him. "I…gotta go. Stay here." He turned to the boy with the accent. "I…I'll be back." Without another word, he sprinted away down the dark passage to catch up with Melody and Prometheus. Hopefully he wouldn't be too late.

**TRACY**

"Gah!" Tracy yelped and scurried away as dark red bolts of energy landed at her feet. She scrambled to her feet and raised her hand to block another angry attack of black magic from the Pilgrim.

"You ruined everything." The Pilgrim snarled and gave a wet cough, advancing toward Tracy, hurling yet another field of dark red energy at the young sorceress.

"Is it too late to say sorry?" Tracy weakly warded off another blast. The energy taken to break the Pilgrim's psychic control had pretty much drained her of her magic, and she was left almost defenceless against the angry witch.

She stepped out of the tunnel and back onto the narrow ledge where she had first arrived, the Pilgrim inching closer toward her. This wasn't going to hold for long, given the Pilgrim's infuriated state. _And this_, Tracy glanced down, _Was not ideal fighting ground. _

The Pilgrim wheezed angrily, and gathered a cloud of black magic in her hands. "You may have freed the sorcerers from my control, but you won't stop me from reaching immortality." The cloud grew bigger and became a dark red storm of lightning and turmoil. "Nothing will stop me now!" She screeched, voice breaking, and tossed the cloud at Tracy with all her might.

Tracy threw herself off the narrow ledge to avoid the Pilgrim's enormous attack, plunging down into the endless abyss below. As she plummeted into the bottomless depths of darkness, Tracy issued a silent prayer. _Come on, open up. Please. One more time._ A Crossing Point opened beneath her and she fell through it, vanishing from the catacombs.

"Oof!" She grunted as she hit the ground of the Crossing Zone heavily with a thud.

"Tracy!"

She heard a shout from nearby, and struggled to turn to where the voice had come from. "Hey guys." Tracy gave them a weak grin, her head still flopped on the ground. "I'm guessing it worked?"

"It did." Anna crouched down beside Tracy and put an arm behind her head to prop her up. "You broke the spell."

"Cool." Tracy struggled to sit up with Anna's help, and glanced up at Elsa. "Hey there. Long time, Snow Queen."

"Thanks for the help, Tracy." Elsa smiled. "And I'm sorry about dragging you, all of you, into this mess."

"Welcome to the club. Now at least I'm not the only one in the Warriors who's gone rogue." Tracy said. "The Elemental Sorcerers?"

"Right here." 'Sparkles' walked up to the group, followed by Jordan, the other girl and Will.

"So, no more fighting?" Tracy arched her eyebrows inquisitively.

"No, we're done."

"Actually, we're not. Not really," Tracy got to her feet. "The Pilgrim-"

"Where is she?" The fiery sorceress growled. "We still owe her for what she did to us."

"Chill, girl." Tracy raised both hands dramatically. She turned to the Warriors. "Not gonna sugarcoat it, but we might have a problem."

**ANNA**

"You might be understating things a little." Anna said. "This is a _big _problem."

"Yeah, we didn't plan this far ahead." Tracy admitted. "Personally, I didn't even think we would make it this far."

"I don't get it." Maui said, scratching his head. "You had the Pilgrim in the catacombs. Why come back now?"

"She's too strong, even though she's dying. And I'm all out of juice. The magic taken to break her psychic hold drained me." Tracy explained.

"So we're stuck here?" Will asked.

"I hope not." Tracy blinked.

"What do you mean, you hope not?" The fiery sorceress demanded.

"Your powers should be working," Anna said. She had already recited the spell that had deactivated the_ Qa'nneth_. Now that the Pilgrim was no longer in the vicinity and the Elemental Sorcerers were out from under her psychic control, Anna had deemed it safe to "power down" the amulet. That way, Tracy could return with her _Ha'naeth_ powers intact and co-exist with Anna on the same plain.

"The _Qa'nneth_ is no longer a threat to you."

"Look," Tracy said. "Even with the _Qa'nneth_ out of the way, I don't think I have the strength to conjure up portals right now."

"Please, Tracy, you have to try." Elsa pleaded. "We need two."

"_Two?_"

"One to get everyone back to Swynvort, and one to the catacombs. I'm going after her."

"Elsa, are you mad?" Anna almost shouted. "That's suicide!"

"She's right," Maui agreed. "You can't go after her alone."

"It's the only way." Elsa said stubbornly. "I can take her."

"No, no you can't." Anna argued desperately. "Look, there's something you still don't know about the Pilgrim. I didn't find the chance to tell you."

"Tell me what?"

Anna sucked in a long breath and held it there. _Oh boy. _Elsa that her sister didn't know that the Pilgrim was responsible for the storm that claimed their parents' lives, and Anna was genuinely afraid to find out what the newfound revelation would do to her sister.


	40. Chapter 38: The Witch's Endgame Part I

Chapter Thirty Eight

The Witch's Endgame Part I

**ELSA**

Elsa listened, and as the truth began to dawn on her, she slowly swelled up with anger. Her heart thumped in her chest and the blood in her veins boiled, which was unusual for her, given her supernatural biology.

"Anna," Elsa said, her eyes welling up with furious tears. "Tell me this isn't true."

"It is." Her sister clasped her hands in her own. "It's in Father's journal, I swear. Back in Quodrun, the Pilgrim hinted that there was something about the past I didn't know about."

"Our father's crime." Elsa choked.

"Yes, that and the fact that Father had powers."

"That much the Pilgrim showed me. But our parents' deaths…"

"I told you, our parents went to learn how to use the Qa'nneth amulet," Anna gestured at the Qa'nneth in her coat pocket. "Their journey took them across the Southern Sea-"

"Where Ingrid drowned them before they could learn how to protect us." Elsa's voice broke. "She must have known, she-"

"Elsa," Anna held her shoulders firmly. "Do you understand why now? She's too dangerous to take on alone. She murdered our parents, and I… I can't lose you too. Please."

Elsa turned away, rubbing her eyes. She was not only furious that Ingrid had been the culprit of her parents' deaths, but at herself for not seeing the connection. She so badly wanted to kick herself. How could she not have seen it? Instead, she had followed her parents' killer like a fool, subjecting herself to her tyrannous command. _But no more. _

"Elsa."

"You're right." Elsa turned and looked at the Warriors and the Elemental Sorcerers before her. She drew a deep breath. "Tracy, we're still going to need two Crossing Points. One to Swynvort, and the other to the catacombs."

"Weren't you listening to-"

"Anna, I hear you." Elsa said firmly. "We're going to stop her together. The four of us." She glanced at the Warriors, and then at the four Elemental Sorcerers. "I need the rest of you to go back to Swynvort and wait for us."

Jade nodded. "Be careful, guys."

Elsa turned to Tracy. "Please."

Tracy pursed her lips. "Alright. I'll try." She raised a hand weakly, and squinted her eyes. With much difficulty, it all began with a spark of purple. And then a few particles.

"Come on, Tracy. You can do this." Maui said.

"You got this, Tracy." Anna added in support.

Tracy grunted and tensed her muscles. The particles of purple grew into a mist, and then a fully fledged portal opened, leading the way back to Swynvort.

"Go!" Elsa shouted, and the four Elemental Sorcerers stepped through the portal, vanishing out of the Crossing Zone. The moment they crossed it, the portal slammed shut, pulling in on itself.

"Whew." Tracy exhaled sharply.

"Good work," Elsa patted her on the back encouragingly. "Now for the catacombs."

"Her energy signature is weak." Tracy said. "But I can still feel it faintly."

Elsa nodded, and stepped back. "You can do it."

"Here goes." Tracy breathed in, and performed the same conjuration. Slowly, a portal manifested itself.

Elsa leapt through it quickly, landing on a narrow ledge of the catacombs. Before anyone else could move, Elsa spun round quickly and froze the entrance of the Crossing Point, blocking everyone else from passing through it.

"Elsa! What are you doing?" Anna yelled, pounding on the solid slab of ice that blocked the Crossing Point. "Let us through!"

"I'm sorry." Elsa turned and ran down the path that led into a winding stretch of tunnels. This was something she had to do on her own. Her personal vendetta. Or justice. It didn't matter at this point. All she wanted was to get to the Pilgrim and deal out her own measure of justice, whatever that was. _Ingrid, she has to pay for everything she's done. What she put us through. _

Elsa blinked back the tears and hurried down the narrow path. At the very least, the tunnels led down a singular long stretch, and all she had to do was follow it. She assumed that Tracy had dropped her off at a point close to where Ingrid was. She couldn't have gotten too far in her weakened state.

The way she was coughing out blood and shaking, Ingrid couldn't use her powers much more without risking succumbing to her condition. That meant her primary goal was getting to the prison of the Eternal King at all costs. Elsa was determined to not let that happen. First, the world's safety was at stake. And second…well, she owed Ingrid her comeuppance.

Reaching the end of the long stretch of tunnels, the passage opened into a wide cavern and Elsa stood at the entrance. The cavern had a ceiling so high that she could not see where it was since it was so dark, and the room was spacious, lit only by a single flaming torch that Elsa assumed was lit by Ingrid. It rested on the ground, casting a warm but faint glow across the cavern. On the other side was a singular cell with a massive wooden door that was ajar, and Ingrid knelt silently in front of it.

As Elsa inched closer quietly, she could see that Ingrid had not budged, still kneeling down before the cell with her cloak's hood pulled back and her head of grey hair bowed. Something was wrong.

"Ingrid!" Elsa called out, deciding to keep her anger in check for the moment so that she could find out what was going on. The witch ignored Elsa as if having not heard her, and Elsa walked across the uneven rocky ground cautiously toward the cell.

"Ingrid." She said again, hands at her hips just in case.

"He's gone." Ingrid rasped, and Elsa could see that she was absolutely devastated.

Elsa used her foot to push the ajar door wider so she could see for herself, and true enough, the cell was completely empty.

"He's gone," Ingrid echoed blankly, and looked up at Elsa in defeat.

"It's over." Elsa said. "Your campaign is a flop."

"No…" Ingrid gazed at the empty cell. "All this time…he was never here."

Elsa knew that wasn't true. The mythical Eternal King wasn't there presently, but it was evident that he had existed. Otherwise, there wouldn't have been a private prison cell hidden far beneath the depths of Ancient Hyutreno. She decided to chalk it up to Ingrid's growing insanity.

"My life's work. My only hope. Gone."

Elsa didn't know what to say. She had expected to find the Pilgrim in the midst of freeing the Eternal King from his centuries old prison, and having to battle the evil witch and the Eternal King to a gruesome finish…but she wasn't prepared for this. A part of her was just itching for a fight, to vent her anger and grief on the woman who had caused her so much pain.

"Gone. Gone. My time is running out." Ingrid began mumbling, clutching her head in her hands. "Dying. The Pilgrim is finished."

Standing above Ingrid, Elsa watched helplessly as the woman rambled on incoherently.

"No. NO." Ingrid suddenly shot Elsa a glance, her eyes wild. She blasted Elsa with dark red energy, causing her to crash against the wooden door of the cell. "It can't end like this!"

Getting up quickly and nursing an aching back, Elsa dove out of the way, circling round to the more spacious segment of the cavern, giving herself more room and a more favourable space for a fight._ I should have seen this coming. _

"You're insane." Elsa said in disgust. "You're done, Ingrid. Your sorcerers are free, Janus and the Knights have abandoned you, you have no more Herbs, and the Eternal King is gone. It's time to give up your mad quest for immortality."

"No! If I'm going to die like any other mortal human, I'm taking you with me." Ingrid snarled like a woman who had nothing left to lose. "If my days are numbered now, then what difference does it make?"

There it was. Ingrid had well and truly lost it. Elsa prepared herself for the inevitable showdown. At least now she had a chance to vent her anger. Maybe Ingrid was right all along. Opening herself up to her baser instincts would open up the flood gates and give her more power than she had ever dreamt of in the fight against her parents' killer.

And in this case, it would be justified. She watched Ingrid begin to chant incoherently in a foreign language and her green eyes glowed ominously. Elsa clenched her fists and cold particles of snow circled her hands. _It's time to finish this once and for all. _

Writer's Commentary:

This was intense. Here we have an equally if not more action packed sequence of events that unfolds the buildup to the final battle between Elsa and the Pilgrim. The exchange between Elsa and the Pilgrim at the end of the chapter is meant to be the most consuming and hot-blooded. After all, Elsa is furious to learn that Ingrid had her parents killed, and Ingrid is devastated to learn that her quest has been for naught.

How will it end? As usual, please do give me a review and let me know how I'm doing! Cheers friends


	41. Chapter 39: Desperation

Chapter Thirty Nine

Desperation

**MELODY**

Grinding to a halt, Melody stopped before the opening into a stairwell. A corner, which meant a blind spot. Prometheus could be hiding behind it, ready to strike. And she hadn't exactly been quiet about her approach, pounding the ground in a sprint in a bid to catch up with the elusive mercenary.

All this took place within a second, and she stopped just short of a downward katana strike. Melody grabbed Prometheus' wrist, and slammed his elbow against the corner of the wall, forcing him to drop his katana. He swung out with his other hand, emerging from behind the wall, and Melody dropped beneath his arm. Now on the inside of his attack, she sprung up with a blow to his midsection, and he brought both elbows down on her shoulder blades simultaneously.

The two combatants disengaged, and Prometheus backed away into the stairwell, where it was far more spacious, but not quite enough for a fight. Melody saw that half the mask was still strapped to his face, the left side exposed and showing the ugly scar across his cheek.

"What's the point of hiding your face anymore?" Melody said.

"You're right." Prometheus ripped the half mask off his face and removed the hood, revealing a thin face with prominent bone structure and brown tousled hair. He tossed the broken black mask aside, and it fell down the flight of stairs.

"It's just you and me now."

Melody lunged at him, hoping to drag him down the flight of stairs. He caught her deftly, using her own momentum to hurl her against the wall of the stairwell. With her back to the wall, Prometheus pressed his forearm against her collarbone viciously, pinning her tight.

"You shouldn't have come after me." Without the mask, his voice was a crisp baritone.

"You're not getting away. Not this time." Melody croaked, her voice strained. Both hands positioned against his forearm, she brought her knee up against his midsection. That was sure to weaken his hold on her. Sure enough, it did.

The moment Prometheus loosened his grip, she pushed away his forearm, and launched a push kick at him. He caught her boot and twisted it, forcing her to the ground. She swung away before he could pin her down, and found herself teetering precariously at the top of the flight of stairs. Prometheus inched closer slowly, sensing the advantage. He removed a gleaming knife from his belt, advancing toward her. _Why did it seem like he had an endless plethora of knives?_

"I don't want to kill you." He brandished the knife. "But I_ am_ getting out of here by any means necessary." Prometheus lashed out, and Melody weaved out of the way. She slammed his arm forcefully against the banister, and he dropped the knife which fell a few floors. Grabbing his jacket, she forced him against the banister, dragging him down the stairs.

He twisted free, throwing her against the wall. Before she could recover, he jumped up with a knee, and because of the close quarters they were in, she couldn't get clear in time. Prometheus then hauled her arm over his shoulder and threw her the remaining distance to the bottom of the stairs.

Melody groaned and looked up to see him take a running leap off the stairs. He landed with a leg drop across her collar, and he quickly shifted to a side headlock manoeuvre. _Smart._ He was planning to force her into unconsciousness so that he could make his escape unhindered.

Her body already wrecked with pain, she willed herself to counter. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she locked her hands at his leather covered ribs. Before he could react, she exerted all the strength in her core and raised herself in a bridge, forcing Prometheus forward. Then, with her hands still tight around his waist, Melody rolled herself from shoulder to shoulder. Now that she was on top and she had Prometheus with his side on the ground, she pushed his face against the ground and wriggled free of his headlock grip.

Disengaging, she crouched and began landing blows to the side of his head. He rolled away and got up quickly. _Good, he's backed himself into a corner. _She advanced towards Prometheus, and unexpectedly, he barrelled into her, forcing them both down another flight of stairs. Landing at the bottom, Melody felt a strange metallic taste in her mouth. She spat out blood and struggled to get up, her bow having already dislodged itself at some point during the fight. It was on the same landing as her, but too far out of her reach. She could really use a blunt weapon right about now. And then she remembered. She still had _sharp_ ones.

In the split of a second, she evaluated the situation. His priority was clear: to get away from her and Swynvort in a bid to escape. He was only fighting her to fend her off and prevent her from following him. One of his legs was already hurt, but if both were injured, there would be no way he could run from her.

Prometheus had already gotten up, towering over her. _His pain threshold is incredible_, she mused to herself as she allowed him to get closer. There was the chance that he could lash out at this distance, but this was a risk she was going to have to take. _Closer…_Then, without warning, she drove an arrow through his other leg, the one that had not yet been wounded.

He grunted loudly in agony and Melody sprung up, pain shooting through her body. She ignored it, attempting to deliver a spinning back elbow to his sternum. However, he faded sideways and backed off, before yanking the arrow clean out of his leg. She could see him wince and grit his teeth, and he tossed it aside, advancing toward her again. _The man was relentless!_

Tactics and offence strategies raced through her head, and she noticed both his legs shaking a little. Now there was a weakness she could properly exploit. Both his legs were injured, meaning she could take advantage of his weak balance. He would know his legs were obvious targets, so he would do anything to defend himself low. She could feign an attack to his legs, and then go for another unprotected spot further up his body. _That could work. _

She dove low in a feint, and Prometheus evaded her narrowly. Neatly, she moved into a somersault position, planting her hands on the ground and launching her legs off the ground. The back of her boot found its mark on Prometheus' nose, which had already been broken in the Training Hall. He grunted in anguish, clutching his nose which was bleeding profusely.

Melody decided that it was time to enact her signature combination of moves. Left hook. It caught him on the ribs, and Prometheus faltered to the side a little, dropping his guard. Right uppercut. His jaw took the full impact of the blow, and he was utterly stunned. Push kick. Her boot launched off his chest and he fell backwards at full force.

As he hit the ground, Melody leapt and raised her elbow, locking it. She landed and jammed her elbow into the ankle of his boot, and she could feel his bone giving way in a crunch underneath the impact of her elbow. She disengaged quickly, feeling light headed and finding it incredibly hard to stand. The fight had really taken a toll on both of them. Melody returned to a stable stance, breathing heavily with the taste of blood still fresh in her mouth.

Wiping her blood stained lips, she watched the mercenary struggle to stand. His broken ankle gave way under his weight, and he leaned all his weight on the other leg, though it visibly pained him as an arrow had also gone through that leg. He hobbled and tried to support himself on the wall.

"You're done, Prometheus." Melody picked up her bow and stood over her limping opponent.

"No," Prometheus looked at her, nose dripping blood on the ground. There was a flash of despair in his eyes, there one moment and gone the next. "I don't have time for this." He stabilised himself with great difficulty, and somehow, his quick reflexes returned to him even though he had been hobbling and writing in pain just a moment ago. He avoided a left jab thrown by Melody and swung himself till he was positioned perpendicular to her on the outside of her arm.

She found her wrist being caught swiftly before she could pull it back after the left jab. Yanking her arm taut, Prometheus slammed his forearm viciously into her elbow and the snapping of bones could be audibly heard. Pain as sharp as the point of a sword shot through her arm and her vision went grey for a moment. Melody collapsed to the ground, clutching her broken arm and twitching in agony.

From the ground, she could hear Prometheus groan and shuffle away slowly.

"No!" She made an attempt to sit up, but as she moved her arm, sparks of flames seemed to erupt at the corners of where her joints used to meet. With her other arm, she dragged her body across the landing towards the wall, and attempted to prop herself up. She watched as Prometheus hobbled down the stairs in retreat, trailing blood as he went, and realised that there was no way she could catch and detain him in her current state. She closed her eyes, hoping to ease the pain as her senses faded away slowly, replaced by a dark wave of unconsciousness washing over her.

Author's Commentary:

Melody fighting Prometheus has got to be one of the most fun but exhausting scenes to write. Especially since I've already pulled out so many tricks and techniques out of the bag for previous fights. It was visceral, I have to admit, but I think it served its purpose in portraying a darker and more mature world that our characters now live in. They both came to a stalemate. Somewhat. Don't worry, we'll be seeing Prometheus again for sure…in the sequel to this story. Leave a review so I know what you're thinking and share with me if you have any suggestions to make future fights better!


	42. Chapter 40: The Witch's Endgame Part II

Chapter Forty

The Witch's Endgame Part II

**ELSA**

"Ingrid, it's over!" Elsa formed a blockade of ice and knelt behind it. "You failed."

"No…" Ingrid hissed wildly. "If I'm going to die, you will _never _take my place. There will never be another Pilgrim!"

Elsa gritted her teeth as an explosion of black magic shattered her wall of ice. "I don't want your title. I only want you to pay for what you did to my family!"

"You took the League from me!"

It was clear that Ingrid wasn't listening. She was in a world of her own, that was already on the verge of collapsing into oblivion.

"No. You had no right to control their minds or their will!"

"I know what's best for them. Only I know!"

"Face it Ingrid!" Elsa lashed out with her own attacks, and ice pellets flew in the witch's direction. "Prometheus betrayed you, the League is free, and your quest is a failure. Give it up!"

"NO!" Her wild voice was a mix between a screech and an unhealthy wheeze. "I didn't come this far to be defeated by a child!" Ingrid mustered up all the magic she could summon and hurled a gleaming red aura of energy at Elsa.

Elsa froze the attack in mid air, and a huge explosion rained down shards of ice tainted with dark red slimes of Ingrid's black magic upon the cavern. The anger she had been holding at bay began to wash over her, surging through her being.

_Use your fear, your anger, your hate_, Ingrid's words rang in her ears from the training. Elsa allowed her rage to seize her, and bathed in the flood tide of wrath. The witch trying to kill her had succeeded in killing her parents years ago and manipulated her at every turn. _It was time to end her reign of terror. Permanently. _Raising both her hands, the entire catacombs filled with a bitter cold, and icicles descended from the ceiling of the cavern and ascended from the floor. Stalagmites and stalactites grew from every which way, changing the terrain significantly in Elsa's favour. But she wasn't done yet.

Hail stones began to fall out of nowhere, and the bitter chill swept Ingrid off her feet. The air grew increasingly thin, and the witch began to gag, clutching at her throat. Elsa tightened her fists and narrowed her icy blue eyes, the storm growing only stronger.

_So this was what Ingrid had meant. _Harnessing her anger and hate only made her stronger, and Elsa found a sweet release. This was power unlike anything she had ever experienced. Elsa gritted her teeth and screamed as she threw down both her hands. The entire cavern was blanketed in white and the storm ceased abruptly. Ingrid dropped to the ground, on the harsh terrain of ice and rock. She coughed wetly, and red stained the cold, lethal ice.

Elsa strode across the new terrain towards her fallen enemy, her blood still boiling and her fury still unquenched. She watched in contempt as Ingrid wheezed heavily and tried to catch her breath.

"At least-" Ingrid managed to utter softly between unhealthy chokes. A semblance of coherency had returned to her, and even to a madwoman like her, it was clear that she had lost and her quest was over. "At least you accomplished something your parents never did."

"Shut up." Elsa growled.

"_Qa'nneth _or no _Qa'nneth_, you…you managed to defeat me." Ingrid sat up with ice stuck to her skin, her body shaking visibly and she coughed up more blood. It was obvious that the fight was over, and the Pilgrim couldn't possibly carry on. The fight had taken a physical toll on her, and as it was, she was already on the brink of death.

"You had my family killed in that storm." Elsa formed a sharp icicle in her hand and gripped it tightly till the whites of her knuckles showed. "You sent me down a path which resulted in nothing but pain and suffering."

"If you're going…to kill me," Ingrid snarled, blood trickling from her mouth. "Just…get it over with. Stop dragging this out. Finish me, like I taught you to."

Elsa raised the icicle over her head hesitantly.

"You _stupid little girl_! I killed your parents!" Ingrid screamed hoarsely, spitting blood onto Elsa's clothes. "I threatened the ones you love! If you don't end me right here and now, I will keep coming for you and everyone you love. Again and again, till my very last breath!"

"You're right," Elsa said coldly. "It's time I end this."

**ANNA**

"Smash it again!" Anna shouted.

Maui slammed his body into the barrier of ice that blocked the Crossing Point. It cracked upon impact, but it still held up as if it were tempered glass.

"Hurry!" Tracy said weakly. "I can't…I can't hold it open much longer!"

"I'm trying!" Maui said through gritted teeth. With a loud bellow, he rammed himself into the ice with every ounce of strength in his body, and the ice shattered. He fell through the opening in the Crossing Point, and landed hard on the narrow ledge of the catacombs.

"Go!" Tracy hollered.

Anna leapt through the Crossing Point and grunted as she landed on the ledge behind Maui. Tracy herself quickly jumped out of the Crossing Zone and joined the Warriors in the catacombs.

"Come on," Anna looked at Tracy and Maui. "We have to help her. My sister's not thinking straight."

"You got that right," Maui agreed. "She's angry."

"And she has a right to be. The Pilgrim killed our parents and manipulated her." Anna said worriedly. "But I'm afraid Elsa's going to do something she'll regret. And if we don't stop her, it might take her to a dark place for real this time."

"Look!" Tracy pointed to the tunnels further down which began to glow erratically. "Something's happening."

"Hurry!" Anna took off running into the tunnels, followed closely behind by Maui and Tracy. There was sick feeling in the pit of her stomach, and it wasn't because she hadn't eaten. Anna had somehow known that telling Elsa about the Pilgrim's last secret at a tense moment like this was a bad idea, but she did it anyway to attempt to knock some sense into her sister. As expected, it had backfired terribly, and now Elsa had gone off on her own to face down the Pilgrim in a fit of rage. Elsa wasn't thinking clearly, and Anna was genuinely afraid that her sister would go too far and…kill her enemy.

As she ran through the narrow tunnels, she could feel a chill and the air growing colder. "We're close," Anna slowed down and glanced back at her friends. "Be careful."

A gust of cold wind blew through the tunnels which began to widen, and the Warriors stepped into a wide cavern covered in ice and snow. Across the cavern at the opposite end were two figures, one towering menacingly over another. Anna's heart lurched when she saw that it was Elsa who had the upper hand, with a sharp icicle raised above her head.

"Elsa!" Anna screamed at the top of her lungs, clambering her way across the difficult terrain as best and as fast as she could without slipping. "Elsa, stop!"

"Anna?" Elsa spun round, a wild look in her eyes. "You-you shouldn't be here!"

"Elsa, please." Anna stopped near her sister. "Put it down." She glanced at the Pilgrim who looked extremely weak and was wheezing erratically. "She's beaten. It's over."

"What are you waiting for?!" The Pilgrim's voice cracked and red spots stained the white ground. "Do it!"

Anna held out a hand cautiously. "Please, don't."

"Don't you see? This is the only way to keep us safe." Elsa looked at her in despair. "You said it yourself, she killed our parents! She tried to kill you, and she won't stop! Not unless," Elsa turned back to the fallen witch. "I end her threat here and now."

"That's it." The Pilgrim gave a sick, weak smile. "Use your fear. Use your anger. They make you strong."

"No!" Anna grabbed her sister's arm. "No, she's wrong!"

"Let go of me, Anna."

"The Pilgrim's wrong." Anna protested. "Don't give in to your fear or hatred."

"I'm doing this for us!" Elsa snarled fiercely. "This is the only way we stay safe!"

"No, it's not." Anna pleaded. "If you do this, the Pilgrim wins. After all you've fought for, after everything you've been through, you would've just become what the Pilgrim wanted you to be since the very beginning. A dangerous, murdering sorceress that the world should fear."

"Don't listen to her!" The Pilgrim screeched hysterically, and collapsed to the ground in a fit of painful coughs. "If you don't kill me now, you and your loved ones will never be safe."

"Elsa."

With tears filling her eyes, Elsa shot a look of despair at Anna. She looked round at Tracy and Maui as well who were speechlessly watching in horror, and turned back to the Pilgrim who was breathing heavily, sprawled on the ground.

"What are you waiting for?" The Pilgrim whispered feebly, curled up in agony.

The icicle in Elsa's hand hovered above her head, and she hesitated silently in contemplation. Anna held her breath, hoping with every fibre in her being that Elsa would do the right thing. One thing was for certain. What her sister did here and now would determine the path she would take from here on.

To her relief, Elsa lowered her arm and the icicle vanished.

"No." Elsa said, coherence and rationality returning to her voice.

"You _stupid_ little girl…" the Pilgrim croaked.

"You're wrong." Elsa said. "This isn't the way. I won't repeat the same mistake my father did, even though you were responsible for making us orphans. I ought to kill you, but I won't. Because I'm not the Pilgrim's Apprentice. I'm the Queen of Arendelle, and a Warrior."

"I will come for you…"

"No, you won't. You'll be locked up for the rest of your days." Elsa glanced down at her former captor. "And I'm guessing you won't dare risk using your magic, given your state of health. No more Augbine Herbs, no more League, and no Eternal King to save you. It's over."

"Elsa." Anna lunged forward and hugged her tightly. "I was so worried."

"You saved me, Anna." Elsa's voice cracked a little. "You pulled me back from the edge. If you didn't stop me, I-I could have…"

"No, you made the right choice," Anna stroked Elsa's hair comfortingly. "You did the right thing, and that's all that matters."

"You were right, I almost went to a dark place for real this time. I almost became what she wanted." Elsa closed her eyes. "And that scared me. I was ready to kill her for what she did to us. To our parents."

"She will face justice." Anna reassured her. "True justice."

"Heh," the Pilgrim gloated weakly. "It's funny. I think you're forgetting something."

Elsa turned to face the witch, who was trying to sit up. "What are you talking about?"

"Our deal included one more factor you didn't account for."

Anna flashed a worried look at Elsa, who returned it.

"I told you," the Pilgrim cackled between wet coughs. "Even if your sister knows the truth, there's still the Arendellian public who would love to know about your father's secret."

"You didn't." Elsa sounded horrified, and Anna felt the same way. _So this was one of the reasons why the Pilgrim had spies planted within the government._ If Tobias hadn't told her, she would have been just as shocked as Elsa was.

"I did." The Pilgrim spat blood on the floor. "While you were all so busy dividing up the League, fighting my sorcerers and trying to stop me, I was able to execute my backup plan."

She looked round at the Warriors, who were silently soaking in the news. "What, you didn't think I would actually do it?" She sneered at Elsa.

"How did you…"

"You," She pointed weakly at Tracy. "You might've broken my psychic hold over the young sorcerers, but you've all forgotten. There are old League loyalists planted within Arendelle's infrastructure, and I gave the order to have King Agnarr's secret leaked to the public. To the world."

The Pilgrim glanced at the dismayed look on Elsa's face and cackled in glee. "You think you've won? You think just because I'll be locked up in a cell for the rest of my days, I've lost? No." She shook her head slowly and grinned wickedly. "I've had my ace in the hole this whole time. You didn't think I'll risk losing everything in a fight with you?"

Anna glanced quickly at her sister, who looked utterly distraught. She was afraid of what Elsa would do, and prayed hard that her worst fears wouldn't be realised.

"There will be doubt and chaos in the streets. Your beloved supporters who once voted for you to stay on the throne will turn against you. The kingdom will fall to another like Tobias. Your sovereign family's name will be tarnished forever. This may not have been the true endgame I'd had in mind, but I'll take it, nonetheless. Kill me. Don't kill me. It doesn't matter anymore. I've won, after all."

Quietly and unpredictably, Elsa stepped forward.

"Elsa," Anna said worriedly. _What if her sister had been provoked into finishing what she'd meant to do to the Pilgrim? _

"It's alright, Anna," Elsa said, her voice calm and poised, and Anna heaved a sigh of relief. "We'll figure this out later. Somehow." She turned to Maui and Tracy. "For now, help me get her out of here."

"You got it." Tracy began trying to conjure up a Crossing Point, and did so successfully while Maui carried the limp witch off into the portal.

"Elsa, are you alright?" Anna slipped her hand into Elsa's as the two sisters made their way towards the Crossing Point.

"Not really, no." Elsa pursed her lips and glanced at Anna. "But we'll deal with this mess when it's time."

"Together." Anna squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"Together."

Author's Commentary:

Close to 17000 words in total for these chapters detailing the climax. Quite an achievement for myself. I'm pretty proud :)

Anna has always been the best part of Elsa, and here we see that all the more clearly. Without Anna, Elsa will have no guiding light, and it makes us wonder if she will give into her darker instincts. She has always had somewhat of a darker side to her, and battling the Pilgrim really brought it out. Will we ever see more of that? Will Elsa ever give into her darkness for real and become what the Pilgrim wanted her to be? We may never know. But for now, the ordeal is over.

As always, I'll love to know what your thoughts about the story are. Do leave a review, I'll really appreciate it as a way of saying you've been with me on this journey till the end :)

Don't worry, even though this book is coming to an end, a sequel is well on its way, and the first draft of it is almost complete. Can't wait for you all to see what happens next!


	43. Chapter 41: A Fresh Start

Chapter Forty One

A Fresh Start

**ELSA**

Standing up, Elsa smoothened out the creases on her formal lavender dress and adjusted the necklace hanging from her neck. She shifted uncomfortably in her heels and walked towards the red curtains which separated the backstage from the masses gathered outside. Peeking out through the veiled curtains, Elsa saw thousands of people gathered in the large auditorium. As usual, in the front row sat the nobles, aristocrats and senior officers of the army. The second row was filled by other dignitaries and foreign ambassadors who had come from across the sea for this unique occasion. As for the next few rows, these were filled up by the wealthy merchants or estate owners who had forked out exorbitant sums to enjoy a better view of the event that was about to unfold.

The rest of the stadium was jam packed with Arendellians, and quite possibly citizens from the neighbouring cities and villages as well. After all, the news had spread like wildfire after it had been leaked by the traitors within the government, namely Count Griffith, the Minister of Information, as well as Count Jakob. Captain Frederick had led a squad of his soldiers to root out the League spies, which were not limited to just Griffith or Jakob.

In fact, there were quite a number of corrupt people in places of power placed there by the Pilgrim, but by the time they had all been arrested, it was far too late as the damage had already been done. King Agnarr's secret and crime had been leaked to the public, and the pandemonium hadn't relented. That was a day ago, and things hadn't died down since. But honestly, Elsa didn't expect any different. After all, the Archbishop's Death twenty two years ago had been a huge mystery that was common knowledge across the continent, and now that the King's involvement had been exposed, the people were in a state of uproar at the revelation of their ex-monarch's crime.

Elsa felt a shiver run down her spine and she stepped back away from the curtains. She wasn't sure she was ready for this, but she knew it had to be done. The moment they had returned to Arendelle the previous evening, Elsa had immediately tasked her staff with organizing a public address for noon the next day and they had meticulously gotten the word out and worked tirelessly to prepare for the huge event. She herself had stayed up the entire night preparing and writing her speech together with her sister.

It still seemed surreal, being back in Arendelle. There were a few dark moments in Swynvort when Elsa had thought that she would never see her home again, being trapped in the clutches of the Pilgrim. But now that she was back, she had hit the ground running. The corruption within her government had to be dealt with immediately, and that meant that there would be gaps within the infrastructure. Replacements had to be found, among so many other things that she had to deal with simultaneously. There was still much work to be done.

"You okay, Elsa?" Anna asked.

With tired eyes, Elsa turned to look at her sister. "Of course." She straightened up, even though she knew she was unable to hide the dark circles around her eyes. Even her makeup couldn't do much to freshen up her lethargic appearance.

Anna giggled, possibly high on caffeine, and held out a cup of steaming hot coffee for Elsa. "Even after everything, you're still a lousy liar, you know that? Are you sure you're up for this? I could do it, if you want."

Elsa shook her head and accepted the coffee. "No. _I _have to do this. The public's on the verge of chaos after what the Pilgrim did. I have to get out there and weather the storm." She took a long gulp and relished the feeling of the hot bitter liquid filling her empty stomach. "It's the right thing to do."

"It's not just right. It's brave." Anna slipped her free hand into her sister's. "Don't worry. I'll be right out there with you, remember?"

"Thanks, Anna but…it's not that. I never thought I'd say this, but speaking to the masses? That's the easy part." Elsa said. "The hard part is admitting that the rumours leaked are true. That Father was responsible."

"I know it's not going to be a walk in the park. Or a stroll across the icy summit of the North Mountain, in your case. But it-"

"It's the right thing to do." Elsa nodded and took another long gulp, feeling the lethargy beginning to clear and the jitters settling in instead. "I just…don't know how they're going to respond. Whether what I say makes any difference."

"No one can predict that." Kristoff stepped up to the backstage, joining the two sisters. "But you have to believe that the people will continue to trust you."

"After the referendum, the people of Arendelle chose to keep you in power, even though Tobias tried to pull the strings." Anna reminded her. "Don't forget that. The people rallied behind you."

"I don't know if that'll be true after today." Elsa smiled thinly.

"Chill, Elsa," Kristoff clapped her shoulder, and then seemed to suddenly remember that she was the queen. He withdrew his hand quickly. "You'll be fine. Besides, you have us on your side to fight for you."

"This isn't exactly a battle against a wicked witch or mercenaries," Elsa grinned at him. "But thanks."

"The Warriors-" Kristoff rolled his eyes as he said the name. "-are here too. They're all in the crowd somewhere rooting for you, so don't worry. We have your back."

"We believe in you, Elsa." Anna said. "You're going to nail this."

Elsa set down her cup of coffee and blew out a long breath. She patted her pocket for the tenth time that morning to make sure the speech she had written was still there.

"If it helps, I have my men positioned at the bottom of the stage and in various vantage points around the multi-storey auditorium." Captain Frederick joined them, smartly dressed in a white ceremonial uniform, unlike the usual military shade of sage green. Gleaming medals decorated his front and sleeves, and he wore a sleek red beret to top it off. And as usual, his boots shone till Elsa could see her own reflection in them. "You'll be safe, Your Majesty."

"Thanks, Frederick. Every little bit helps." Elsa smiled warmly. "It's so good to see you again."

"Likewise, Your Majesty." Frederick bowed. "I'll be close by, if you need me."

"You ready?" Anna asked, hand on the red curtains.

Elsa sucked in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Okay." She stepped out from behind the curtains with Anna by her side.

Immediately, the murmuring of the crowd died down quickly when they noticed that the Royal Sisters had arrived on stage, and the auditorium fell into complete silence before long. Elsa could hear her own heeled shoes clicking away against the wooden panelled stage as she walked toward the rostrum. It made her feel better knowing that Anna was by her side in case she botched her speech somehow so her sister could save her. As if Anna hadn't done enough already.

She stood behind the rostrum and removed the piece of paper in her pocket. Unfolding it, she placed it on the rostrum and checked one last time for good measure. Maybe she was just being paranoid, but what if the paper she had carried was a tax levy document all along? Thankfully - and obviously - it was the speech she had written. Elsa looked out into the sea of people before her. The multi-storey auditorium was packed from ceiling to floor, and it was incredibly stuffy. She began to sweat a little, both from the warm atmosphere as well as the nervousness. _No point putting it off any longer._ Clearing her throat, she began.

"Good morning everyone." Her voice rang loud and clear throughout the room, working hard to conceal her fear. "I'm sure all of you have heard the rumours by now, and are all desperate for the truth about the Archbishop's death twenty two years ago. I'm here today to talk to you about King Agnarr, my father," Elsa held Anna's hand. "Our father."

She took a moment to look at her notes which were redundant at this point, since she basically knew what she needed to say even if she was afraid to say it. Then, Elsa drew herself up and took a deep breath.

"After further investigation and a detailed study of our father's journal, I can now state definitively that the allegations made against my father, the former King of Arendelle…are true."

She paused and murmurs began to arise from the crowd. Before they could grow any louder, she continued and the voices died down again. "My father, like myself, had supernatural abilities, and chose to hide them from the world. In a moment of weakness and fear of being exposed, King Agnarr lashed out at the Archbishop and committed involuntary manslaughter. He was then blackmailed by a sinister organization into silence."

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Anna whispered quietly under her breath, loud enough only for Elsa to hear. "There's no turning back after this."

Elsa nodded. "They deserve to know." She looked ahead at the crowd and breathed in deeply. "You all know the story of the mythical League of Sorcerers to be nothing more than a child's tale. However-" Here she stopped again for a brief moment, that spanned into a thousand. _Anna's right. There is no turning back from this. _

"I have seen them with my own eyes, and can personally confirm their existence and my late father's coerced involvement with them. And so can my sister."

The murmurs grew louder, and people began to talk among themselves in a state of confusion, indignation or scorn, or a mix of all three.

"Everyone, please. Let my sister explain." Anna said loudly, and the room began to quieten down again.

"Thank you," Elsa said calmly. "Many of you know of the raiding incident that took place at the outskirts of our kingdom. I personally investigated and pressed into the case, and found myself entangled with the figurehead known as the Pilgrim. Yes, she is real, and so is the League of Sorcerers. They are known as a shadowy group that destroys and burns down civilizations, but I have seen for myself that the League is made up of brainwashed young people who have supernatural abilities. The real culprit of the League's vengeance and killings is the Pilgrim, who is now safely in custody. I myself oversaw the transfer of the Pilgrim to a secure facility where she will never endanger another young sorcerer's life ever again."

Elsa took a deep breath, before continuing. "I know this is hard for all of you to believe, but it is all true. In time, you will see for yourself the young sorcerers I have spoken of. They are now temporarily being housed in the castle under the care of my staff until we can come to a more permanent arrangement."

She paused as she sensed the air of confusion and uncertainty. "However, everything that I have just revealed to you is not an excuse for my father's actions. There is no justifying what he did. It was a terrible act, though an accident, and as his daughters, we are both shocked, horrified and crushed to learn about our father's crime which he had kept from us all these years. King Agnarr is no longer here to defend himself, and I too cannot find the words to defend his actions, because there are none."

"But what I can tell you," Anna took over suddenly, catching Elsa by surprise. _This wasn't part of the plan._ "Is that three years ago, out of nothing but pure love and immense courage, our father sailed across the sea together with our mother in an attempt to protect us from the Pilgrim. Though the attempt was unsuccessful and our parents drowned that day, this proves one thing. That not everything is black and white.

"People make mistakes, even royals like us. But people change too. I'm not asking you to overlook the actions of King Agnarr, but I implore you all, take a moment to see that without his act of selfless love, my sister and I wouldn't be standing here safely today to address all of you. It was once said that a child needs to believe that his father is a hero before he can become one himself. And I believe with all my heart that that was what our father had in mind."

"I cannot pretend to hope," Elsa picked up again loudly, continuing where Anna had left off. "That we will retain the support and trust of everyone in this room, local citizens and international allies alike. I'm sure many of you are wondering what other secrets we might be hiding. But this one thing I can promise: we will strive to eradicate all secrets and remain transparent with the great people of our land. We promise-" She paused. "-that we will not let our father's sacrifice for us go to waste. With every moment we have left, we will build upon his legacy, flawed as it may be, to attempt to usher the kingdom of Arendelle into a fresh start, and a better legacy. Thank you."

Elsa and Anna stepped away from the rostrum, and the room fell into complete silence. Then, three people in the middle of the hall stood up and began to clap loudly. Elsa squinted and saw that lo and behold, they were the Warriors! They were joined by more people, and more, and soon, the entire auditorium was filled with the thunderous applause of Arendellians and foreigners alike.

"I think it's unanimous then." Anna looked at Elsa. "We haven't been forced to abdicate."

Elsa hugged Anna in relief, and the applause grew even louder. The two sisters waved to the masses, and retreated backstage where they were met by Kristoff and Frederick.

"You guys did it!" Kristoff hugged both sisters tightly, this time throwing all royal etiquette out the window.

"I don't believe it. It's-it's some kind of miracle." Elsa gasped for breath.

Kristoff released his hold on them. "No, it's not. Because they believe in you, Elsa."

Anna smiled. "He's right. Father and Mother would've been proud. The people believe in you."

"They believe in _us_." Elsa squeezed her sister's hand. "We did this together."

"And we will continue to do this together." Anna returned the squeeze.

"Together."

"And Elsa?"

"Yes?"

"What you said in your speech about no more secrets," Anna said. "Does that apply to us too?"

"Of course." Elsa hugged her sister tight and shut her eyes. "Before all this, a part of me always felt the need to protect you. But you've proven me wrong and even earned your own place with the Warriors. You're strong, Anna. Stronger than me. I underestimated you, and I'm sorry."

"Woah, that was a lot heavier than I was expecting."

"Point is," Elsa continued. "From now on, we protect each other. And that means no more secrets. I promise."

"Apologies for the intrusion," Frederick said apologetically. "Firstly, congratulations are in order."

Pulling away from Anna, Elsa chuckled and glanced at him. _The Captain was always so prim and proper. _

"Secondly, I think you would be pleased to know that we've flushed out all the League spies like Tobias and rounded them up. They're now warming cells in the local penitentiary, awaiting trial for their treason."

"Thanks Frederick." Elsa smiled.

"That _is_ good news." Anna agreed. "Always had a weird feeling like someone was watching us." She shuddered. "Now I can finally eat cheesecake in the middle of the night in peace without worrying someone is watching."

Elsa laughed heartily and turned to Frederick. "I think it's time."

"Yes, Your Majesty. I'll meet you out front." Frederick bowed and strode away quickly.

"Time?" Anna arched her eyebrows. "Time for what?"

"Before we meet our friends back at the castle, there's one more stop we need to make." Elsa said. "Stillcreek."

"Ah," Kristoff raised an eyebrow. "That place."

"Kristoff, go find Olaf and Sven and tell them that we're alright. Then meet the rest back at the castle. We'll join you in a bit," Elsa turned to her sister. "We're going to pay the Pilgrim a visit. Together."

"Of course." Anna grinned. "Wouldn't have it any other way."


	44. Chapter 42: A Better Legacy

Chapter Forty Two

A Better Legacy

**ELSA**

The horses were reined to a steady canter as the carriage neared the vicinity of the Stillcreek prison facility. After Ingrid had been defeated, the Warriors had teleported back to Swynvort first to regroup, and then brought everyone back to Arendelle. The Queen's Guardsmen were stupefied to see the queen, the princess, and so many more people pouring through a portal of purple mist and into the castle.

They had been even more surprised and stunned to see Maui carrying a frail, sick looking woman cloaked in black. Elsa had ordered that Ingrid be immediately taken to Stillcreek with extra precautionary measures in place. She could not risk Ingrid pulling a last desperate move. Who knew if the witch had been lying dormant, cunningly plotting to make her escape? Thankfully, she didn't, and had been locked up in Stillcreek's maximum security wing overnight, being watched by an excessive number of prison guards.

"Your Majesty. Your Highness." Frederick's crisp voice brought Elsa back to the present. "We've arrived."

"Thanks, Fred." Anna opened the carriage door and jumped out before the escorts could make a move.

"Thanks, Frederick." Elsa said, getting down gingerly from the carriage, waving away the help of the escorts. "Oh, and one more thing."

"Yes, Your Highness?"

"Remind me to sign the papers later."

"Papers?" Anna looked at Elsa in confusion.

Frederick raised an eyebrow. "I'm not sure I follow, Your Majesty."

"With Colonel Jakob arrested for treason, the Arendellian Brigade is left without a Commanding Officer." Elsa smiled coyly.

"No…" For once, Frederick looked genuinely appalled. "That's…I can't possibly-"

"The army needs you, Colonel Frederick." Elsa said firmly. "Queen's orders."

"I see…Well then, since you put it that way," Frederick flashed a grin. "I guess I can't refuse, can I?"

"Congrats!" Anna squealed, patting the newly promoted Colonel on the back. "Colonel Frederick! Has a nice ring to it."

"I don't know what to say." Frederick flushed a little over the applause and salutes from the escorts in the Queen's Guard.

"A thank you would be nice." Elsa nudged him playfully. "It's the least I could do after everything you've done for us…and for Father."

"Right." Frederick cleared his throat and drew himself up. "Thank you, Your Majesty. And thank you, Your Highness."

"Now," Elsa walked toward the gates of Stillcreek. "Maybe you can make good on your new promotion and see about getting us into the Maximum Security Wing so that we can talk to the Pilgrim."

###

As usual, the process of seeing a prisoner without prior notice was a long and arduous one, especially since the prisoner was locked up in the Maximum Security Wing and under high priority surveillance. Finally with the Warden's help, the two sisters accompanied by the newly promoted Colonel were brought to the Maximum Security Wing, which was a whole different environment from where Elsa had gone to speak with Tobias. The Maximum Security Wing had triple the number of guards, with sharpshooters perched on vantage points, and well maintained cells to ensure that no prisoner could attempt escape._ It was rather impressive, really. _

Arriving outside a spacious cell that was panelled all around with glass, Elsa saw that Ingrid was dressed in the standard prison uniform, just as Tobias had been, and was lying on her narrow bed with her back to the glass. Seeing the cunning witch like that really put her in a different light. And in her frail state of health, Ingrid really looked like she didn't belong in prison, let alone the Maximum Security Wing. However, Elsa knew the truth. Ingrid was a woman not to be underestimated, even if she was locked up in prison.

"Anna, are you sure you want to be here?" Elsa turned to her sister as Frederick and the Warden backed away to give the two Royals some privacy.

Anna set her jaw. "Of course."

Taking a deep breath, Elsa knocked on the glass panel. Ingrid turned, and her mouth turned upward in a crooked smile when she saw her former apprentice standing outside her cell. A chill went down Elsa's spine and she had to remind herself that she was no longer a prisoner of the League. _Quite the opposite, in fact. _

"Elsa. Anna." Ingrid acknowledged the two sisters, her voice travelling through an elaborate system that enabled the two opposing sides to communicate through the glass. "What a surprise. I have to admit, this is an unpleasant change. Now I know how you felt when I locked you up in the dungeon that very first night. But not to worry, Janus will be here soon to break me out."

Anna smirked. "Then I guess you don't know."

"Don't know what?"

"Janus turned on you and took the Knights of Vengeance with him." Elsa said. "He refused to attack us, choosing instead to flee from Swynvort."

"That…" It took Ingrid a moment for the realization that no one was coming to save her to set in. "Is unexpected. He must really like you, then."

Elsa looked at her. "No. The way you treated him, it was more than enough to drive him away. I just helped him to see that being a mercenary for you was wrong. But he already knew that."

"He's a mercenary, Elsa." Ingrid hissed. "What, you think just because you gave him a little sweet talk, he's going to change? Killing is in his blood, that's why I hired him in the first place."

Elsa shook her head. "I believe there's good inside him. Deep down, he has a heart and a conscience. Regardless, that's not what I'm here to talk about."

"Then why are you really here?"

"We came to tell you that your plan failed." Anna said proudly. "Sure, the League spies did their work. They infiltrated our government and leaked our father's secret to the public. But they failed."

Ingrid arched her eyebrow curiously. "How so?"

"You'd hoped to turn the people against us." Elsa said. "But you didn't account for one thing."

"And what's that?"

"The Arendellian spirit." Anna said. "The people believe in their queen."

"They believe in _us_." Elsa looked at Ingrid with a victorious look on her face. "You wanted to shake their faith in the Royal family, but you failed. Arendelle stands with us, and everyone knows of the existence of the League now."

"You told them-"

"Yes." Elsa said. "The world now knows that the League of Sorcerers is real."

There was a mixed look of confusion and dismay on Ingrid's face, though she was trying hard not to show it. "Why would you do that?"

"It's time for the League to step into the light." Elsa answered. "It's time for the League to return to its original purpose and intentions. To be used for some real good in the world."

Ingrid silently contemplated what Elsa had said, and then laughed humourlessly.

"What's so funny?" Anna asked.

"I just realized something," Ingrid scoffed and coughed, her voice raspy and unhealthy sounding. "That prophecy all those years ago, it did come to pass after all."

Elsa and Anna glanced at each other in slight worry. "What are you talking about?"

"Before my predecessor died, he placed a curse on me. He said that an Elemental Sorcerer would be the one to dethrone me and succeed me as the Seventh Pilgrim." Ingrid shook her head and smiled. "I guess prophecies do come true."

"You mean-"

"You're the new Pilgrim, Elsa." Ingrid looked at her. "The League of Sorcerers is yours to command."

Elsa looked stumped. This was not what she had been expecting at all when she decided to come to Stillcreek. "No…I don't-" she stuttered. "I-I only want to help them. I-"

"That's not your choice, Elsa." Ingrid somehow knew what she wanted to say. "When a sorcerer ascends to the title of the Pilgrim, the League is sworn to obey their new leader." She placed a hand on the glass panel. "Well done, Elsa. You accomplished the one thing that only six others have done before you."

Elsa stared silently at Ingrid, then at Anna, and then back at Ingrid again.

"Just a word of advice," Ingrid coughed. "Since I've got nothing left to lose anyway. The sorcerers will look to you for direction. It's up to you to make the League whatever you want it to be. Choose wisely."

Elsa nodded slowly. "I will. And Ingrid?"

"Yes?"

"In spite of everything you've done to my family, all the hurt you've caused us," Elsa said. "I promise your last days will be comfortable."

Ingrid stared at her, and then laughed, shaking her head. "Goodbye Elsa." Ingrid coughed again and settled back down on her bed.

Together with Anna, Elsa walked away from the cell, knowing that it would be the last time she would ever see Ingrid.

Anna waited till they were far enough before she spoke. "And now to address the elephant in the room."

Elsa glanced at her sister.

"Now that you're the new Pilgrim," Anna said. "What happens now?"

Elsa sighed deeply. Truthfully, she didn't have an answer. Or a concrete one, at least. "We start by getting back to the palace. There's still work to be done."

Author's Commentary:

Writing the resolution of a story is always hard. But in this case, there's so many loose ends to tie up that it's hard to end the story quickly. First of all, the biggest loose end was King Agnarr's secret. Elsa and Anna have to attempt to win back the trust of their people.

But more than that, they have to patch up their own differences. In the past, Elsa never truly saw her sister as an equal, always seeing Anna as a fragile and powerless person she needed to protect. But now, Elsa sees her sister in a different light. Anna has proven herself to be a formidable Warrior, and can take care of herself. And thus, no more secrets between them. Anna and Elsa start afresh in their relationship, working together to build a better legacy for their family name.

And that's not all. Elsa learns something that will change the course of her life. The League of Sorcerers is now hers to command. What is she going to do now that she is the seventh person in history to ascend to the title of the Pilgrim? Stick around. There's a few chapters left and then we'll be closing this book, only to gear up for the next


	45. Chapter 43: The Right Path

Chapter Forty Three

The Right Path

**MELODY**

"Watch it. Hey!" Melody fiercely guarded her broken left arm as people pushed their way past her to join the queuing masses who were trying to get out of the auditorium. "Watch it!"

"Maybe sitting in the middle of the row wasn't a good idea." Tracy looked amused.

Melody groaned and rotated her body so her broken arm was faced away as another person inched past her. A dull pain throbbed in her arm as she moved, and she winced. The fight with Prometheus had _really_ taken a lot out of her.

After Prometheus had broken her arm out of desperation and fled, Kristoff had found her in the stairwell._ It was really easy_, he had told her after she had woken up in Swynvort. After all, the two archers had trailed blood all across their fight, and all Kristoff had to do was follow the blood till he found an unconscious Melody propped up against the wall.

Somehow, he had gotten her back up the stairwell with her arm intact, and made a makeshift arm sling for her out of the fabric of his sweater. She'd woken up to numbness which evolved into a throbbing pain that made her heart thump and gave her a splitting headache. Her entire left side from her shoulder to her finger tips felt incredibly fragile, and she hadn't dared to come into close contact with anything, maintaining at least a few metres radius at all times. The Warriors had regrouped back in Swynvort with the Pilgrim subdued, and Elsa had evacuated all the young sorcerers back to Arendelle through a Crossing Point conjured up by Tracy. That was the night before.

Everything had blurred by since then, and now Melody and the Warriors had just witnessed Elsa and Anna deliver a public address regarding their late father's crime. The speech was an impressive one, to say the least. To an outsider like her, it seemed that the people really loved the queen and the princess unanimously in spite of their father's crime. That was a relief. One less thing to worry about, at least.

"You know," Maui suggested as the crowd showed no sign of thinning. "I could fly us out of here. We'll be at the castle in a jiffy."

"With everything the people have heard today, I don't think they can stomach another shocker." Melody said dryly. "Best to keep the supernatural to a minimum, at least for today."

"Oh, right." Maui shrugged. "Guess we'll have to take the long road then."

"Guys, I've a better idea." Tracy grinned impishly. "This way." She squeezed through the crowd and Melody had a hard time following, guarding her broken arm with her life. The trio emerged at the side of the hall, and entered a side door, and found themselves in a spacious broom closet away from the crowd.

"Really?" Melody looked at her.

"Could have sworn my idea was better." Maui muttered.

"Just wait for it." Tracy conjured up a Crossing Point in the empty broom closet and the trio stepped through it.

"Got to hand it to you. Didn't think of that." Melody admitted as the trio emerged from the other side and arrived in the foyer of Arendelle's palace in the blink of an eye.

"Hah." Tracy gloated, and took great pride in closing the Crossing Point exaggeratedly. "Still waters run deep."

"Indeed." Melody looked up to see a few of Elsa's palace guards approaching them. "The queen is expecting us."

The guards nodded and led them to the next floor via a broad staircase. Clearly they recognized the Warriors from their repeated visits to the castle. The Warriors were led to a large ballroom, which was filled with the sorcerers from Swynvort. The staff had set up a temporary holding area for them, placing huge round dining tables and comfortable chairs throughout the ballroom to accommodate the numerous visitors. Food and drinks were also laid out neatly on the tables for the sorcerers, and by the looks of it, the chefs and staff were going to have their hands full for quite some time.

"Elsa and Anna's got a full house here." Tracy remarked, glancing round.

"No kidding." Maui looked impressed.

"Hi," A blonde, freckled girl who looked like she was not more than seventeen, bounded up to the Warriors, and Melody backed away instinctively to protect her arm.

"Hello." Melody said cautiously, sizing up the girl who was small and scrawny. "Can we help you?"

"I was hoping I could help you." The girl squeaked. "I'm Holli."

"Ah," Melody looked at Holli, slightly confused. "Help me?"

Holli gestured at Melody's broken arm. "That looks bad. The makeshift arm sling could use some changing too. But I think I can do better."

"What do you mean?" Tracy asked.

"Some call me the witch doctor." Holli shrugged dismissively. "I heal wounds and injuries."

"Does that include broken bones?" Melody asked hopefully.

"I've never tried," Holli said. "But now's as good a time as any. With your permission, of course."

"Anything to take the edge off the pain." Melody consented, turning her body so that her broken arm faced Holli. "Just…be gentle please."

"Of course. Surgeon's touch." Holli wriggled her fingers and placed them delicately on the skin of Melody's hand that was not covered by the arm sling.

Melody winced a little in the anticipation of the pain, and was pleasantly surprised to feel a soothing warmth spread through her arm. She could feel the tendons, sinews and bones bind themselves back together by an unknown force, which she guessed was Holli's magic. Within a minute, her arm felt so much better, the pain greatly reduced to just a soreness that made its presence known whenever she moved it about.

"How is it?" Holli stepped back, nervous with anticipation.

"This," Melody straightened her arm slowly in awe. "This feels great." She beamed at Holli. "Thank you."

"It's the least I could do." Holli said. "After what happened to you in Swynvort. You have to know that the League," she glanced at the many sorcerers in the ballroom. "We're innocent."

"We know." Maui assured her. "The Pilgrim is to blame."

"She's warming a cell now, don't worry." Tracy added, grinning at Holli. "She can't hurt any of you ever again."

"That's a relief." One of the boys with a Molcorran accent, came forward to join Holli. "We want nothing more to do with her. I'm Vonco, by the way." He extended a hand to the Warriors.

_At least this is a good start_, Melody thought to herself as Vonco and Holli introduced them to a few other sorcerers. Their first real interaction with the sorcerers could have been a lot more awkward or hostile, but it seemed to be going well…thus far.

After a round of introductions and friendly conversations with the League's sorcerers, Melody found Maui comparing muscles with a large young man called Cornelius and rolled her eyes. She waited nearby politely till Cornelius noticed her and excused himself.

"How's your arm?" Maui asked, gesturing at her once broken arm, which now bore no trace that it had ever been injured.

"So much better now." She stretched her arm and tensed it, gladly aware that the soreness was beginning to fade. "That Holli girl works wonders."

Maui laughed and nodded. "Our judgement of the League was way off."

"You're right. They're not evil murderers like we thought they all were." Melody chuckled in relief. "Quite the opposite actually."

"But what happens to them now?" Maui motioned at the ballroom full of sorcerers. "Now that they're out from under the Pilgrim's control, many of them have nowhere to go."

"We'll wait for Elsa and Anna to come back before we figure that out." Melody turned to Maui. "I'm more concerned about you, actually."

"Me? Why?" Maui sounded puzzled.

"In all the chaos, I never really got a chance to find out how you were coping. You know…after…" Melody trailed off, knowing that Maui knew exactly what she was talking about.

"Oh." Maui's face grew more serious. "That."

"Yeah," Melody felt a little awkwardness creeping into the conversation. "That."

"I don't know, actually." Maui admitted. "The guilt is still there, I guess. I feel like a monster at times, like I don't belong among humans. I don't think something like that's gonna go away anytime soon, but at least it feels like I've done some good here to atone for my mistakes. It feels…satisfying."

"It does, doesn't it?" Melody agreed. After all, who better than her to know about seeking redemption? She had sought after it for six years, and had finally found satisfaction after helping to prevent the world from being destroyed a few months back. "Being with the team helps. Especially since we know the Warriors is a force for good."

"Yeah."

"You know," Melody nudged him amicably. "It was you who started me on the path to redemption. You reached out and gave me that chance to make up for my mistakes."

"Feels like a such a long time ago."

"Right?" Melody laughed. _That's saying something, considering that it's coming from an immortal demigod who's lived for more than a thousand years._ "Even though it's only been….what- slightly more than two months?"

Maui nodded in agreement.

"Point is," Melody continued. "I'm glad that I can be here for you as you find your own slice of humanity. I know you're not all together there yet, and it's not going to be easy, but we'll all be here for you."

"Thanks, Princess." Maui grinned at her. "I guess I'll stick around with the Warriors for a while. Beats living in the desert among the lions."

"I bet it does." Melody patted him on the back, and he reached out to pull her into a friendly hug.

"Watch the arm." She flinched instinctively. "Can't be too careful."

"Hey guys!" Tracy dragged one of the Elemental Sorcerers, Jade, over with an arm around her shoulder and a bottle in hand. The other two, Deirdre and Jordan trailed a short distance behind.

"Are you even old enough to be drinking?" Melody stared at her.

"Yeah," Tracy said indignantly. "Look, watch this!"

Jade hurled a long electrical charge at Tracy, who blocked it with a purple barrier of her black magic. The purple barrier evolved into a tiny globe, absorbing more and more of the electricity until it exploded with a loud poof, raining down little bits of purple matter laced with electricity which made the collision look like fireworks. This obviously attracted the attention of many in the ballroom, and the ones closest to the "fireworks" shifted away, creating an empty space around Tracy, Jade and the others.

Melody rolled her eyes. "Couldn't you have done that outside?"

"Cool, isn't it?" Jade grinned, and Melody couldn't help but smile a little. The Elemental Sorceress and Tracy seemed to take to each other now that they weren't fighting in the Crossing Zone anymore. In spite of her mild vexation, Melody was relieved that the Elemental Sorcerers were getting along well with the Warriors.

"So," Melody asked after she had pulled Tracy away from her new sorcerer buddies and out to the balcony overlooking the fjord. Maui had taken over her place, chatting amicably with the Elemental Sorcerers. "What happens next?"

"What d'ya mean?" Tracy asked, taking a long slurp from the bottle, and burped.

"I mean," Melody said. "Now that the threat of the Pilgrim is dealt with and Anna is reunited with Elsa, what are we going to do?"

"No, no," Tracy tipped the bottle and gulped down another mouth of alcohol. "What you mean is, am I going back to Denmark to continue working as a merchant's assistant. Am I done with our adventures with the Warriors. Right?"

Melody flushed, even though she wasn't the one who was drinking. "Yeah."

"I think the real question is," Tracy set her bottle down and looked at Melody. "Are _you_ going back to Copenhagen High?"

"I-I don't know." Melody admitted. "I was certain of it, at first. I knew I was done with our adventures and just wanted to return to a normal life. But like you said back in Atlantica, a part of me felt missing when I was away from the Warriors."

"What about now?"

Melody took a deep breath and sighed. "From the looks of it, there's still a lot of work to be done here. What with all the sorcerers without homes, and-"

"So you're staying with the Warriors, right?"

Melody laughed. "Yeah. I guess."

Tracy snorted and gave her a playful punch. "Of course you are. We need our best fighter."

"Hah." Melody picked up the bottle and sniffed. She took a cautious sip and found that she liked the taste. "Best is subjective."

"You beat Prometheus, didn't you?"

"He got away." Melody said dryly.

"From what I heard from Kristoff, you broke his nose and sent him fleeing."

"That was _before_ he broke my arm." Melody lifted her once broken arm, and realized that it wasn't exactly a good representation of what Prometheus had done to her. "Still, he did seem pretty desperate to get away. He didn't want to kill me, even. Elsa did mention that he wasn't completely evil, whatever that meant."

"Y'said it yourself. He broke your arm."

"I know, but that was only because he was in a rush to get out of Swynvort." Melody took another sip. "I think maybe there's more to him that we don't know about."

"Do you think we'll ever see him again?"

"I don't know." Melody pulled a long drink from the bottle, finishing it up.

"You beat him once, you can do it again."

"If we're keeping score, I think it's one to one. Or two to zero. I don't know." Melody grinned. "But I'll be ready."

There was a long pause as the two Warriors stared out at the fjord, enjoying the calm of the cool afternoon.

"And what about you?" Melody broke the silence.

"What about me?"

"You singlehandedly broke the Pilgrim's hold over the entire League." Melody said. "That's something."

Tracy snorted again. "She's not that scary."

Melody chortled. "So you're certain now?"

"Of what?"

"Your path." Melody reminded her.

"Ah." Tracy drawled uncharacteristically. "I guess. Meeting my brother in Eiden really put things in perspective." Melody stayed quiet, and Tracy continued. "When you left the club to find the _Qa'nneth_, Harry and I got into an argument. It helped me to see that I've really changed a lot since we last saw each other."

"You have." Melody agreed. "Even I think so, and we've only known each other for not that long a time."

"Harry was pretty disgusted with my allegiance with the Warriors at first. We left things kinda intense, but then he agreed to help me save you from Orkando, and before we parted, he admitted that he was proud of how I turned out." Tracy rolled her eyes. "Yeesh. Just saying it feels cheesy."

"But he's right, you know." Melody said. "You've forged your own path. A heroic one. And in some capacity, I think you inspired Harry to do the same. Otherwise, he wouldn't have helped us turn the tide against Orkando and liberated Eiden from his tyranny."

"Yeah," Tracy's cheeks flushed a little, and Melody knew it wasn't from the alcohol. "I was worried that being a _Ha'naeth_, I would turn out just like the Pilgrim. She said that she used to be like me, and I was genuinely afraid that I was on the path to becoming a real witch like her. But being in Eiden and fighting alongside the Warriors in Swynvort, I'm sure of one thing now. That I'm not becoming like the Pilgrim. I'm on the right path. I'm one of the good guys, and that's not gonna change."

"For what it's worth," Melody put an arm around Tracy's shoulder. "I think your mother would've been proud of you too."

"I'm not so sure about that, but I'll take it." Tracy said.

The two Warriors gazed out into the fjord again, enjoying each other's company and savouring the moment of triumph, for however long it might last.


	46. Chapter 44: The New Normal

Chapter Forty Four

The New Normal

**ANNA**

Anna walked into the crowded ballroom with Elsa and looked round. The place was jam packed with young men and women, many of them still in their mid-teens. _Wow_, Anna mused to herself. _Elsa's gonna have her hands full with the League._ Her sister had just been told that by default, she was now the new Pilgrim, the leader of the League of Sorcerers, and there was nothing she could do to change that.

"I can't believe this is happening." Elsa mumbled under her breath. "This is so surreal."

"Hey," Anna squeezed her sister's hand. "It'll be fine."

"Easy for you to say," Elsa glanced at Anna. "You're not both the Queen of Arendelle and the Head of the League of Sorcerers at the same time."

"One step at a time, alright?" Anna was genuinely concerned for Elsa. She seemed to be even more worried now that a whole room full of young sorcerers had been placed under her charge by default.

"Don't worry, Elsa." Anna turned to see Kristoff heading toward them. "We'll all be here to help."

"You're back." Anna landed a kiss on his cheek and ruffled his hair. "Did you find Olaf and Sven?"

"Yeah," Kristoff said. "They know that the ordeal is over."

"And another one's beginning." Elsa murmured.

"Elsa-"

"I'm kidding." Elsa glanced at Anna and Kristoff. "I just…need some time to think about how to break the news to the sorcerers that I'm the new Pilgrim. I'm…going to get a drink."

Anna watched as Elsa melted away into the crowd, and turned to Kristoff. "Just when we thought that everything is finally over."

"At this rate, it'll never be over." Kristoff chuckled dryly. "But I guess I'm at peace with that."

Anna slipped her hand into his. "At peace with what?"

"The fact that this is as normal as our lives are going to get. I mean, I never imagined that I would be stuck in a world of warriors, mercenaries, sorcerers and all that stuff. I rebelled and challenged that idea at first." Kristoff admitted. "But as I worked with the Warriors this past week, I came to accept that this-" he gestured around at the ballroom filled with people with supernatural abilities "-is the new normal. As much as I'm still uncomfortable with that, this is the world we live in now."

"You'll get used to it." Anna grinned, and he rolled his eyes.

"Your Highness," Will stood a distance away.

Kristoff gave her a kiss and slinked away, presumably to find the Warriors. Anna turned her attention to Will.

"Hey,"

"I didn't know you were a Princess." Will walked toward her carefully, measuring every stride in her presence. "You probably should have led with that back in Quodrun. I would've been a lot more likely to comply."

"It's fine." Anna waved her hand nonchalantly. "I'm still the Anna you met, anyway. It's not like I'm the queen or anything."

"I wanted to thank you." Will said.

"For what?"

"Rescuing me from the Pilgrim. You and your friends, you're real heroes."

"Awww." Anna grinned. "You did not too bad yourself."

"I guess I did." Will flushed a little.

"Elsa's a good teacher, isn't she?"

"She is." Will nodded. "She helped me learn to avoid the triggers and to control my powers."

"Believe me, she's gonna be a great leader." Anna said. "Apparently, she's just been crowned as the new Pilgrim because she defeated the old one. She's the new leader of the League of Sorcerers now."

"I wish I could stick around to see that."

"What do you mean?"

"I have to get back to Quodrun." Will looked at Anna apologetically. "This life of heroics, danger and sorcery, it's not for me."

Anna nodded. "I understand."

"But don't worry," Will said. "I'm planning on using my powers to make a difference back home."

"Of that, I'm sure." Anna smiled. "Find Tracy. She'll work her magic and take you back to Quodrun in the blink of an eye."

"Thank you. Goodbye, Your Highness." Will bowed and Anna waved it away.

"Goodbye, Will." She clapped him on the shoulder. "I hope we see you again someday."

"Likewise." Will said. "Give my thanks to your friends."

"I will." Anna watched as Will wandered off into the crowd to find Tracy, and noticed a commotion coming from the other side of the ballroom.

Many of the sorcerers were gathered around Elsa, who stood on a slightly elevated platform meant for performances. The crowd grew larger by the second when they realized that the legendary Snow Queen was about to say something to them.

"Ahem." Elsa cleared her throat and raised a hand to get everyone's attention.

"What is she doing?" Melody asked as Anna found the Warriors in a corner of the ballroom.

"Didn't she already make a speech?" Tracy added. Anna noticed that Will was no longer around. Tracy must have already teleported him back to Quodrun. _That was fast. _

"You'll see." Anna folded her arms and tried to look serious, but she couldn't suppress the smile forming on her face.

"What's going on?" Maui asked.

"Just watch."

The room finally quietened down enough for Elsa to be heard, and Anna could see her sister nervously shifting her weight every now and then. After some time, Elsa opened her mouth to speak.

"Hello everyone," Elsa began slowly. "For those who don't know who I am, I am Queen Elsa of Arendelle, and like yourselves, I was a member of the League of Sorcerers. By now all of you would have known that the Pilgrim was controlling your minds unconsciously, but now, thanks to my friend Tracy-" she pointed at Tracy who waved. "-you are all free from her control. Together with help from my friends, we managed to stop the Pilgrim and she is now behind bars, serving out her sentence for however long it might last."

Here, Elsa paused to take a deep breath. "I went to visit the Pilgrim in prison, and she told me that because I dethroned her, I was to take up her mantle and continue on in her stead. To lead the League of Sorcerers as the new Pilgrim."

Murmurs started to go out amongst the crowd of sorcerers, and Elsa spoke a little louder to get their attention again. "So as the new Pilgrim, here is my offer to you. Those of you who wish to leave the League and return to your own lives are free to go. I will not hold any of you back, as my predecessor did. You are no longer prisoners.

"But those of you who wish to stay with me should know this. The League of Sorcerers will continue to exist, but as a real force for good. We will work together with my friends, the Warriors, to protect the world from people just like the last Pilgrim. It is time for the League to return to its original purpose, and I promise that we will only deliver true justice, and not vengeance. The choice is yours."

Elsa stepped down from the platform to applause from the crowd and chants of "Snow Queen" reverberating throughout the room.

Anna smiled widely as Elsa made her way through the crowd towards the Warriors. "I think that turned out pretty well."

"The new Pilgrim." Tracy sounded awed. "Wow."

"I didn't see that one coming." Melody agreed to nods from Maui and Kristoff.

"I think it suits you, Frost." Jade said, coming towards the Warriors together with Jordan and Deirdre. "The new Pilgrim, Head of the League of Sorcerers."

Jordan nodded in approval and gave a small courteous bow which Elsa acknowledged heartily with a laugh.

"Thanks," Elsa smiled. "Deirdre," she turned to Deirdre. "You know you're free now, right?"

"It's not like there's anywhere else for me to go." Deirdre shrugged. "I'm not going back to Exon, that's for sure. There's nothing left for me there."

"Then you're welcome to stay, if you want." Elsa said, stretching out her hand.

Deirdre raised both eyebrows a little. "Maybe I will." She shook Elsa's hand, and a tiny almost imperceptible smile crept onto her face.

Elsa exhaled deeply and looked round at the Warriors and the Elemental Sorcerers. "This battle may be over, but we still have a lot of work to do. Organizing the League, getting them places to stay, training them, leading them on missions…"

"And then there's still the fact that Prometheus is out there." Anna added. "Do you think he'll come back to seek revenge of something?"

Elsa shook her head. "I don't think so. In some small way, I think I managed to get through to him. I think he'll leave us alone."

"And if he does return, we'll be ready for him." Melody said confidently.

"That's not the only problem." Maui said. "We may have stopped the Pilgrim, but only because she didn't get what she was looking for."

"The Eternal King." Anna frowned. "I completely forgot about that."

"Someone got there before Ingrid did." Elsa said. "Someone who somehow has the exact same map to the ruins of Ancient Hyutreno."

"Whoever they are, they must have took the Eternal King." Tracy said.

"And who knows why they took him?" Melody added.

"I think…" Tracy said dramatically. "We have a new mystery on our hands."

"Give me a break." Kristoff buried his head in his hands. "Didn't we just finish the last one?"


	47. Chapter 45: A New Player (Epilogue)

Chapter Forty Five

A New Player (Epilogue)

KANE

There had be nothing for a long time. Just deep dark emptiness, floating in a void, with his consciousness merely existing in…wherever he was. With what little of his mind he had left, Kane assumed he was in the spirit realm. After all, he had died in his quest to purge the earth of corruption and evil. Or rather, he had killed himself thinking that he would finally be reunited with his family.

That, however, could not have been more wrong. Kane was dismayed to find that what he had believed all along had been a lie. The one thing that had kept him going through those years of pain and anguish was the thought that he would one day see his family again. He had never planned to walk away from his quest alive. Running the sword through himself, he had just a moment of bliss knowing that his suffering was all over and that he would join his family in the spirit realm.

Now, it'd felt like an eternity of existing without purpose in the endless abyss. Alone, and forgotten. Is this what was awaiting him for the rest of eternity? Was this the punishment that continued even in death? Kane didn't know. All he knew was that he had been wrong, and that in death, his sanity had returned to him. The psychological effects on his mind that had been brought on by the snake totem had long since worn off now that he was dead, and he could think clearly for himself once again. But what was the use of being clear-headed when he didn't have a body to follow suit?

Then, as if his question was being answered, a bright light suddenly appeared, illuminating the abyss and dispelling every trace of darkness in the spirit realm. _What was happening?_ Kane could feel something strange, as if parts of his scattered being were in the process of being pulled back together and reassembled. His mind began to race, and he could hear a heartbeat again. But how? That was impossible! If he had eyes, he would have closed them, but instead, he shut off his mind from whatever was happening to the spirit realm. Nothing was making sense!

The bright light began to fade, coherence and clarity taking its place. When he finally "opened the eyes of his consciousness", he found that he was looking through a set of eyes, with his five human senses returned to him.

"What…is this?" Kane was surprised to hear that he could speak, and was even more surprised to find that he could hear himself. He looked down and saw a body…his own. Reaching out to touch his face, he flinched slightly at the contact, not used to feeling anything since he had spent his entire afterlife in the spirit realm thus far. Was this paradise? Or purgatory?

"Welcome." A second voice, not his own, rang out from behind him.

Kane spun round reflexively, amazed that he could still recall how to move his body, and saw a man dressed in a mud red military uniform staring at him with a mildly incredulous look on his face.

"Who are you?" Kane growled. "And where am I?"

"And I'm assuming you also want to know how you got here, and why this is happening." The man said.

"Am I…" Kane started.

"Dead?" The man shook his head. "Not anymore apparently."

Maybe all that had happened in the endless abyss had taken place in a moment within his mind. Maybe he was still alive. Kane felt for the sword wound, and found nothing but smooth unbroken skin.

"You're looking for your injuries, aren't you?" The man studied Kane. "Don't bother. That's how we found you, but she's found a way to bring you back from the dead."

"She?" Kane asked in bewilderment.

Two more men dressed in similar military attire flanked Kane and escorted him past the man and through a series of carpeted hallways. Kane was still disoriented, and the sights just seemed to breeze by. Everything was still a blur, his senses clouded and still trying to make sense of his sudden resurrection. He was brought before a throne, in a large room that was filled with more guards.

"Welcome, Victor Kane."

Kane looked up to see a young woman seated on the spacious throne which was heavily ornamented. "How do you know my name?"

The young woman smirked. "I've heard of your exploits, Major. Trying to save the world by purging it of humanity. Bold."

Kane stared at her. "How long has it been since…"

"Since you died? Three months."

"How am I even alive?"

"Let's just say, I've unlocked the secrets of life itself."

"The Eternal King." Kane said. During his preparation for his quest, he remembered reading about the mythical figure who ruled Ancient Hyutreno for centuries. "You found the Eternal King."

The young woman nodded. "You should be grateful. I gave you a second chance at life."

"My life is meaningless." Kane said bitterly. "My life is _nothing_ without my family. I died years ago without even knowing it." Then it hit him. Now that he was back, he could attempt to get to Motunui, steal the snake totem again, and try to bring his family back into the realm of the living. But deep inside, he knew that he could not do it. He didn't even know where the snake totem had been taken, and he had no one at his disposal to help him.

"I believe I can change that. I have an offer to make you." The young woman smiled.

"Who are you?" Kane demanded. "Where are we?"

The young woman got up from her throne and spread her hands. "We are in the capital city of Exon, and I am the queen."

Kane backed away. "I don't believe this. What do you want with me?"

"As I was saying," The Queen of Exon smiled slyly. "I have an offer for you."

Kane narrowed his eyes. "I'm listening."

~ THE END ~

Author's Commentary:

And…that's the end for now. It's been quite a journey penning this novel, and at the time of this writing, I am just about finished with the first draft of a sequel. By the looks of it, Book 3 is going to be bigger and more intense than this story, revolving around the idea of war and insurgencies!

Please do let me know what you think of this story. I'll greatly appreciate knowing that you've followed me through to the end, and that you'll be sticking around for Book 3 in this series :) Till then, here's a sneak peak of the first chapter of Book 3!


	48. Sneak Peak of Book 3 :)

**ELEANOR TAL YIN**

"All hail Her Royal Majesty, Queen Eleanor of Exon!" The forerunner called out in a loud voice. Everyone in the vicinity drew themselves up and checked their attire, wanting to look their best in the presence of the newly crowned queen.

Queen Eleanor accepted the coachman's hand and stepped down from the horse carriage. She waved away the umbrella he held out and looked at the crowd. There had to be hundreds, or maybe even thousands waiting out in the field.

She dipped her head politely at the crowd who had cleared a spacious path for her, and walked in between two tall officers dressed in ceremonial white. The field was muddy, as it was drizzling lightly after a heavy rain. _What bad luck_, Eleanor mused to herself as she squelched through the still wet grass and soil.

Her escorts had offered to roll a long, expensive carpet along the field so that she wouldn't have to dirty her formal black mourning dress or kitten heels. However, she had refused, wanting to create a good first impression for her new subjects.

After all, what better way to identify as one of her own people than walking through mud and getting her clothes soiled like everyone else? It certainly helped with public perception and she wasn't going to pass up a good opportunity like that.

The crowd was silent, with no more than a few whispers going through the crowd as they watched her every step, lowering their umbrellas when they saw that their queen was braving the rain. She could feel the eyes of every man, woman and child staring at her, while trying to remain respectful of their monarch. At long last, she reached the place where her parents had been buried. Two large gravestones were placed at the head of their graves, which stood out from all the rest. This graveyard was reserved only for members of the Royal Exon Family, the kings and queens of generations past.

Here, the crowd was of a more distinguished nature. Dukes, counts, barons, lords, senior military officers, high society members and foreign dignitaries stood silently, dressed to the nines, holding umbrellas over their heads due to a light drizzle. They lowered theirs when they realised she didn't have one, and their formal clothes began to soak up the rain. Everyone tried to hide their discomfort, remaining packed together and silent in the presence of the queen.

Eleanor looked to the side and saw that there was a temporary shelter that had been constructed for the riflemen who bore their polished muskets. From what she knew about the military, the gunpowder couldn't get wet or the muskets wouldn't be able to fire, thus the need for shelter for the soldiers. She noticed the Colonel looking to her for the go ahead, and she nodded in approval.

"Ready!" A voice boomed and the soldiers, dressed in their standard muddy red uniforms and already waiting for the order, gripped their muskets tighter.

"Aim!" The soldiers smarty rammed the butts of their muskets to their shoulders, taking aim at the field beyond.

"Fire!" A deafening volley of musketry crashed out in unison. Smoke filled the air but quickly dissipated as the rain continued to fall.

"Thank you." Eleanor nodded at the soldiers in gratitude once the echo had finally left her ears and they bowed to their queen in the most parade ground manner they could muster, which was frankly impressive.

She turned her attention to the two gravestones in front of her, and walked closer, the mud squelching beneath her feet. The names "King Ivan Tal Yin" and "Queen Bernice Tal Yin" were engraved deeply in the large gravestones. _Her father and mother._ She turned, and at the side of the two gravestones stood another. On it was written the name "Princess Deirdre Tal Yin". Her sister.

Eleanor shook her head sadly. Her older sister Deirdre had died years ago, which meant that she was the only remaining child of the Tal Yin family, making her the heir apparent. And unfortunately, her parents had died only a few days ago, and the crown had fallen upon her head.

The news had come to a shock to everyone, and initially the plan had been to establish a Regency Council to maintain stability and govern the kingdom while Eleanor grieved. However, she had refused, telling everyone that she needed to take control and prevent things from falling into chaos.

_Oh, how things had changed so much in such a short time._ Eleanor gazed at her parents' tombstone, eyes watering. Now she was all that was left of the Tal Yin name. She collapsed to her knees, staining her black mourning dress, but she didn't care. Ignoring everyone around her and throwing royal etiquette out the window, she broke down sobbing uncontrollably in front of all the dignitaries and nobles who were watching her with growing discomfort.

This went on for an unknown amount of time. She didn't know how long. When she had no more tears left to shed, she stood up, refusing the help of her escorts, and attempted to dry her eyes with her hand, which was already soaked to the bone by the rain. Eleanor looked up and around at the people before her.

"Thank you all for coming." She said, her voice quavering as she tried to project it. Then, with a heart throbbing sob, she turned away and walked away from her family's graves. The sooner she was away from that wretched field, the better. Eleanor walked slowly back the way she had come, flanked by the two tall officers, whose white ceremonial uniforms were drenched and no longer smart looking. In fact, they looked downright ridiculous now that the rain had done its damage. Not that they could do anything about it, and neither could she.

Her own dress was crumpled and soaked in mud and rain, making her look anything but regal. As she walked back through the crowd of Exonians, she endured the shocked gazes of her people who had evidently never seen their new monarch in such a sorry looking state before. Perhaps there was no precedence for something like this.

Nonetheless, Eleanor climbed into her horse carriage, soaking the leather cushions, and did her best to squeeze the water out of her hair as the carriage was pulled back to the castle located in the heart of the Capital of Exon.

###

"I take it things went as planned, Your Majesty?" Lieutenant Dolan, the head of security, asked as he watched Eleanor step into the castle, still dripping wet and trailing mud all over the red carpet.

Eleanor chuckled. "You could say that."

"The people bought it?"

"Of course. In fact, the rain helped to sell the role of the humble queen." Eleanor kicked off her now brown kitten heels which were caked in mud.

"Fantastic, Your Majesty." Dolan said.

"And I thought that crying at my parents' grave would've been dramatic enough." Eleanor scoffed. "The rain drenching me, collapsing into the mud and refusing shelter, I couldn't have delivered a better performance."

"I'm sure, Your Majesty."

Eleanor pushed her red hair out of her face and smirked. As the newly crowned Queen of Exon, she knew she had to set a first impression that sat well with her new subjects. And what better way to do it? She had only planned to express her utmost grief at her parents' passing, but now surely after her first appearance as queen, she had won the respect of the Exonians.

"So what now, Your Majesty?"

"Now that I have them in the palm of my hand," Eleanor smirked at Dolan. "We move on to Phase Two."

Author's Commentary:

Hi guys! While waiting for the third story to be finished, I have worked on a short spinoff story about Prometheus, the mysterious masked mercenary. He'll be appearing in Book 3, and I thought it'll be nice to learn more about him. Please do check it out, as I will be uploading it soon and notifying everyone with a post within this story for you guys to check it out Till then, take care and stay safe during covid 19!


	49. Spinoff Sequel Notice :)

Book 2.5 Notice

**AUTHOR**

Hey guys! While waiting for Book 3 to be finished, I whipped up a novella length spinoff story that explores more about the mysterious mercenary, Prometheus. You can find it in my account, titled Frozen Spinoff: Prometheus Under the Hood.

This story will provide a little more insight into who the enigmatic mercenary really is behind the mask, and will detail a job that changes his outlook on life before the events of Book 3. I hope you will enjoy it! Stay excited for Book 3 :)


	50. Book 3 Sequel Notice!

Hey there! Just an update, the first few chapters for Book 3 will be uploaded in a new story on my page very very soon, and I'll be letting you all know via an update chapter in this story for you guys to head on over to check it out. Coming soon, my friends, coming soon, so stick around!


	51. BOOK 3 UPLOADED

BOOK 3 HAS BEEN UPLOADED! Go to my page and check out Book 3 titled "Rise of the Empire". Also, do follow and review :) More chapters on the way very very soon! I'll see you over there!


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